The Legend of Zeld
by BatNeko
Summary: The prince of Hyrule is captured...twice, and Link sets out to prove the old adage: Never send a hero to do a heroine's job...
1. The Hero and the Prince

The Legend of Zelda, and all related, uh, stuff, are property of Nintendo. However most of the characters in this, including Vaaltos, are mine.

_zzz_

_It's always the same._

_In every story there's always a monster ravaging the countryside, or an evil usurper who's taken over a kingdom, or something along those lines._

_Then there's always a hero, often a prince, sometimes a deserving farmer's son or an orphan destined for greatness, who has to ride off the save the day... and the girl._

_There's always a girl. Almost always a princess, sometimes in disguise or kicked out of her rightful place by and evil step-something, but occasionally it's an ordinary girl of extraordinary kindness and beauty. But there's always, **always**, a girl._

_It's always the same._

_But this time..._

_This time it's going to be different..._

_zzz_

The Legend of Zeld: The Black Rose Blade

zzz

Chapter 1. The Prince and the Hero.

"Link!" a noble lady called out from atop the outer wall of her manor. "Link, where are you! _Get back here!_"

Link, riding across Hyrule Field, did not hear the woman's voice, but the horse did. It reared up and turned back, heading for the enormous manor where she and Link lived.

"Hey! Wait! Stop! _Woah_!" The horse ignored Link's frantic pleas and kept right on running for home.

Link sighed resignedly as the horse trotted into the massive stables of Link's family.

"Lady Link!" the groom greeted her. "Your mother has been calling you for some time."

"I figured as much," Link sighed again and slid out of her saddle. "17th here," she patted the horse's nose, "is surprisingly attuned to my mother's voice." She handed Epona XVII's reins to the groom and headed for the main house.

Lady Linkalla Vanguardian Lon Lon's parents had expected her to grow up to be a noble and beautiful young lady with a wide range of ladylike skills and perfect knowledge of protocol; and she had. She had taken after her father in coloring, blond hair, green eyes, and skin that tanned much easier than her mother would have liked, but she was very beautiful, could dance and move with effortless grace, and her sewing and singing were beyond compare. She had also learned to ride a horse better than any man, how to best most of the manor's guards in combat, how to live off the land, how to shoot a bow, and, most disturbingly in her parents' minds, how to cuss like a sailor. Luckily Linkalla was just as good at her ladylike pursuits as she was at the ones that were…less so, and her parents put up with the riding and the fighting as long as she kept up her lessons.

Today Link had "forgotten" to come home in time for her daily protocol lesson, and she knew she was in trouble. She also didn't particularly care.

zzz

Prince Zeld Delorean Hyrule sat in the receiving chamber, seeming to listen attentively to the missives of the Zora messenger. In reality, his mind was wandering freely, only occasionally stopping by to make sure the messenger was still reciting almost verbatim from the written marriage proposal Zeld had in front of him. He was.

Zeld knew the young princess of the Zoras fairly well. She was, after all, a frequent visitor to the palace. The girl simply did not have anything better to do, being the youngest offspring of the Zora king and in no way in line for the throne. She was also only seven years old, more than a decade younger then the prince. Add to this the fact that Zeld actually _was_ in line for the throne, and therefore required to produce an heir of his own eventually, and the fact that Hylians and Zoras could not produce offspring, and the answer you got was that the Prince simply had to turn down this offer.

He wanted to say something like: "Are you crazy? No way!" but he couldn't. He had to say something more like: "As generous as your offer is, I am afraid I must decline, as my parents are approving a bride for me as we speak. However a union between our two houses would, I'm sure, be of great benefit to us both however, so I propose…" then he would have to dig out that old treaty-ish thing his aunt had written to turn down a Zora prince back in her day. His aunt was now happily married to a carpenter and very much enjoying her life of mediocrity, a life that Zeld envied to no end.

But even Zeld had to admit that he fit the prince mold fairly well. He was very handsome, very tall, and looked especially good in the ceremonial clothes he was often required to wear, today being no exception. He took after his mother in looks a bit more than he'd have liked though. He was blond, with blue eyes, and had a blond's complexion, meaning he blushed easily and always burned before he tanned. But even his normally fair skin fit the traditional image of a prince.

Zeld did not want to be a prince in real life, he wanted to be like the princes in the old stories. The ones who were constantly riding off and saving young damsels, who would then fall in love with the prince and give themselves up to him: mind, body, and soul. Especially body.

But being a real prince meant endless lessons, balls, and spending time with stuffy nobles. And all the young damsels he met were either already betrothed to someone else or incredibly stuck up. It was true that his parents had found someone they wanted him to marry, or at least meet, but he was sure she would be just like the others, and nothing like the ones he fantasized about, or the one that he often dreamed he was.

Those dreams were the bane of his existence. Sometimes they were helpful, by showing him people he had not yet met and letting him know, by way of symbolism, whether or not their intentions were good. But more often then not, Zeld's dreams were about himself, in the body of a princess, getting into some kind of trouble and being rescued by a young hero. The hero always looked different, but always had the same spirit, just as the princess looked different but was always him. Sometimes these dreams repeated, like the one where the hero was locked away for seven years and the princess learned to cross-dress while he was gone. Or the one where the hero split into four heroes thanks to a magic sword. Or the one where the hero had to wake the princess up from centuries of sleep. Or the one where the princess was kidnapped. Actually, the princess got kidnapped a lot.

Prince Zeld did not want to be the helpless princess of his dreams (though admittedly some of the princesses were more helpless than others, the cross-dressing one was fairly tough), he wanted to be the hero riding off to save her.

His dreams were very unkind.

And this Zora messenger was very boring.

zzz

"How would you address the King of Hyrule?"

"Your Majesty, My Liege, or Sire." Link recited dutifully.

"Correct," her governess approved. "And the Queen?"

"Your Royal Highness, or My Lady."

"The Prince?"

"Your Highness, or My Liege."

"The Zora King?"

"Your Royal Highness, My Lord, or Sire."

"The Goron leader?"

"Big Brother."

"A Gerudo Captain?"

"Captain or Ma'am."

"Very good." The governess closed the protocol book and smiled at Link. "You've got this stuff down pat."

"I _have_ been drilled on it since I was three," Link sat up, she had been slumped in her chair. "Can I go to my room now?"

"Yes, but remember, your mother wants you to stay there until she has a chance to talk to you."

"I know, I know." When Link had arrived at the main house her mother had announced that she had very exciting news, but because Link had missed her lessons she would have to wait and make them up until she heard it. Link was sure the news was something that would make her life temporarily more miserable, like that she had been invited to a ball, or that they were hosting a ball. Basically anything that involved balls.

It wasn't until she was back in her room, working on a piece of embroidery that she wanted to finish by her birthday, that Link discovered the news was much worse. Her chambermaid, Maria, rushed into the room in an advanced state of excitement.

"Lady Linkalla! Lady Linkalla!"

"What is it Maria?" Link asked, bored.

"Oh I just heard the news! I can't believe it, you are so lucky! You'll keep me on after you're married won't you? I've always wanted to live in-"

"What did you say?" Link's head snapped up.

"Oh dear…" Maria's hands flew to her mouth. "You haven't heard yet?"

"Heard…what…?" Link said slowly.

Maria shook her head firmly. "I shouldn't tell you if you don't know. Please forget I said anything." With that she fled the room.

"So…" Link said flatly. "I'm betrothed."

Her next birthday was her eighteenth, which meant that, by noble terms, she was overdue for marriage. Her mother had talked about it, and Link had had many suitors, but it hadn't been a topic much lately and Link had been too happy with her good fortune to wonder why. It was entirely possible that Link's mother had not spoken to Link about marriage because she had found what she considered to be a "good match" and hadn't wanted Link to interfere with the negotiations.

That had to be it. It had to be. Link's mother had found her daughter a husband.

"Well," Link said aloud, "at least I was right about it involving balls."

Wincing at her own bad pun, Link put down the embroidery and stood up. This was bad. Very very bad. Her most recent suitor had been more than twice her age and extremely perverted. Link knew she was pretty, and she was proud of her curves, but she absolutely hated having them stared at by a man old enough to be her father.He was one of her father's friends actually, and her father apologized profusely afterward, but the age of that visitor, and the three before it, had proved that Link had already turned down all the young bachelors. And what better reason to hide marriage negotiations from the bride then to also hide the age of the potential groom?

She had to get out of this.

She had to run for it.

zzz

Prince Zeld, finally out of the meeting with the Zora messenger, sat up straight in his throne and smiled warmly at the guests. The warm smile was faked, as were most of his warm smiles, but the guests didn't know that and that was, after all, the point.

Luckily, Zeld didn't have to actually take part in this particular conversation. He wasn't even sure what it was about. A couple of Gerudos were talking to his parents, and he only had to sit there and look princely. Later that same day there would be more meetings, lessons, and preparations for a ball in his honor next week. The ball was supposed to be celebrating his birthday, which had been a month ago, but his parents would also be announcing his future bride, whose name he still didn't even know.

Still sitting, smiling, and looking attentive, Zeld decided to daydream about married life. She would be beautiful, she had to be or she wouldn't have been considered, and she would be from a good family, which probably meant she would be stuck up and obsessed with the latest fashions. Zeld didn't know anything about the latest fashions. Not a single thing. But at least that meant he wouldn't have to talk to her, just stand beside her and smile into her eyes while not feeling an ounce of affection. It could be worse. At least she would be beautiful.

Speaking of which, one of the Gerudo emissaries, the younger one, was eyeing him. She was cute for a Gerudo, if a bit skinny and very flat, and was looking at him curiously, almost nervously. He looked her directly in the eyes and allowed a smile, very different from the blank one he'd been wearing before, to play across his lips. The Gerudo looked back and returned the smile.

Then she turned back to the dealings between her captain and King and said something about trade. Zeld let his mind got back to its wanderings.

zzz

Getting a sword was easy enough. Link's paranoid mother employed a startling number of guards for the manor and they all were armed quite well. Link trained with them almost every day, and since they got to see her in tight trousers and a short tunic as she did so, they were more than willing to keep that fact from her mother. Link changed out of her "Noble Lady" dress and into a green tunic and tight tan trousers, the trousers lifted from one of the smaller guards since her parents would never let her have any. Then she pulled on a pair of boots, twisted her long blond hair up on top of her head and hid it under a hat, then climbed out her window and into the yard.

"Hello boys," she greeted the off-duty guards in their quarters. They quickly straightened themselves up, one even going so far as to stand at attention. He had to be new. "Just here for a sword," she said, cheerfully. "Nice one, preferably."

"Wait here," one said. "We just got a couple of new ones."

Link grinned. "Nice. Will they keep an edge?"

"Goron-made," the guard answered. "They'll do."

Link grinned again.

Ten minutes later Link was back in the house, fully armed and in need of provisions. She planned on staying away for as long as it took for them to give up on marrying her off, then returning and joining the guard. See how long it took her parents to realize that the young new guard was not only a woman, but also their daughter.

She need a sword because she also intended on doing some heroics while she was gone. In the stories it was always, save the damsel, save the princess, save the _girl_. Well this girl wanted to do her own saving, thank you very much. She often dreamt of being a hero and saving a princess of her own. She liked these dreams, even if she was always a guy in them.

Link packed enough food for a week, a couple of changes of clothes, the shield she kept under her bed, and her embroidery. She liked embroidery, though she would never admit it. It kept the hands busy and left the mind free to wander; a good pastime, even if it was ridiculously girly.

Once everything was packed, Link simply walked out the front door and to the stables. A few people had seen her while she was getting food and supplies, but no one paid any attention. Link was always going off for some reason or another, more often than not dressed as a peasant, since it was easier. And she nearly always took the horse she fondly referred to as 17th, even though the mare's name was Epona XVII, descendant of the first Epona, the finest horse raised by their family back when they were nothing more than poor ranchers.

The Lon Lon Ranch still existed, though it took up considerably more space than it had in the past, raised considerably more cows and horses, and brought the family considerably more money. Link had to avoid it though, because it would be the first place her parents would look. So, as she rode out the gates of her family's palatial home, she veered in the one direction she knew no one would expect her to go.

Towards Hyrule Castle Town.


	2. This Looks Like A Job For

Chapter 2. This Looks Like a Job For...

Link rode across the drawbridge and into Hyrule Castle Town, nodding at the guard as she did. She'd been here before, but never without her family, and never wearing pants.

This was going to be interesting.

zzz

The preparations for the ball were well underway. There were people running around with trays of food or swatches of fabric to show the prince or his mother, there were other people discussing decorations or the guest list, and there were still others just standing around doing nothing in particular, which was pretty much what Zeld was doing, except seated on his throne.

He was beyond bored, just like every day of his life, but at least that cute Gerudo was still there. There were quite a few Gerudos actually. Where had they all come from?

As Zeld tried to puzzle that out, he noticed one of the throne room doors open. He wouldn't have paid attention to this, normally, except that the person who slipped through it was neither a servant, nor one of the courtiers that just hung around the palace all the time. It was a girl, extremely pretty and about his own age, but wearing men's clothing. She had the bearing and grace of a noble lady, and she slipped in among the others with ease, despite her clothes, but Zeld couldn't help wondering just what she thought she was up to…

zzz

Link hung about the throne room, smiling politely and acting like she belonged. It was the easiest thing in the world to go unnoticed; you simply had to act like you were supposed to be doing exactly what you were doing.

She wasn't supposed to be doing it though, she didn't even know _why_ she was doing it. She had run away from home, and now she was hanging out in the castle throne room for no good reason. It was a rush.

It was also a rush when she noticed the prince looking at her, but a different kind. She had two thoughts at once: _He knows I shouldn't be here!_ _He's going to kick me out!_ and _Woah, he's cute_…

But the first thought won out, and Link began casually walking towards the doors.

zzz

The girl in the green tunic was heading for the exit. If she got away he would probably never know why she was there at all. Zeld hated not knowing things.

He stood up, with every intention of running the girl down and asking her what she was doing there and where she was staying, but before he could even leave the dais where his throne was he felt a strong arm around his neck and a strong hand clamped over his mouth. Then there was a sharp pain and the world turned black.

zzz

Almost halfway out the door Link stopped at the sound of a commotion behind her. She turned, but before she could sort out what had happened she was bowled over by a group of Gerudos who charged out the door at top speed carrying the prince.

_Carrying the prince_?

"They're getting away!" Link shouted. She drew her sword and made chase. No one would get away with kidnapping while Link the Hero was on the job!

The Gerudos led Link, and at least a dozen heavily armed guards, out of the castle and through the streets of the town. There were about half a dozen of them, all just as heavily armed as the guards, two of them carrying the prince over their shoulders. His head was lolled back and bobbing in time with the steps of his captors, obviously knocked out.

As the kidnappers reached the exit out of town, Link shouted to the guard to raise the drawbridge. Quickly the man rushed back inside the guard house to oblige, but the Gerudos beat him to it and ran up the raising bridge, leaping off the edge and hitting the ground running.

"Lower it!" Link shouted, but the guard either didn't hear or was confused and kept on bringing it up.

"Tell him to get it down as fast as he can," Link ordered one of the guards who'd been making chase with her. "Some of you stay here and keep up the chase on foot, the rest of you get horses and get back here as fast as you can."

The guards nodded and scattered, none of them noticing that they were taking orders from a teenage girl. Link herself ran to the post where she'd tied 17th, jumped on, and galloped all the way back to the bridge. It was only just over halfway down, but Link and 17th didn't slow their pace, using the bridge like a ramp and leaping down to earth from it, hitting the ground running even faster than the kidnappers.

Link steered 17th towards Gerudo Valley, figuring the kidnappers would hole up in the fortress and make their demands from there. But if Link could catch them before they got there she was sure she could at least hold them off until the guards came.

But as she got closer and closer to the Valley without seeing them, she began to worry. Could it really have taken her that long to get 17th? Could the Gerudos really run that fast? It didn't make sense.

When she reached the entrance to Gerudo Valley, she just stopped. If they were already inside the fortress she needed to stop and come up with a plan. She was sure she could get in there and save him, but she had to think things through first.

Unfortunately, before she could come up with a workable plan the guards arrived, with plenty of reinforcements.

"What are you doing here?" the captain demanded.

"What?" Link straightened up. "I was leading the chase when the prince was kidnapped!"

"_You_ are a civilian," the captain corrected. "A commoner and a woman no less."

"So?"

"So get out of our way." The guards carefully steered their horses around her and 17th, several of them sneering as they did. Link noticed that most of the ones who sneered had also been the ones who had so blithely followed her orders before.

Grumbling to herself, Link turned and rode back out into the field. Those snooty guards, jerks though they were, had a point. Much as she wanted to be a hero, Link didn't have the training to work in a group. She was a lone wolf, a solitary hero. Yeah, that was it.

But one thing still didn't make sense. How had the Gerudos gotten away?

zzz

"…Zel……Zel……Zeld…"

His hero was calling to him, but he was so far away he couldn't hear him clearly. Zeld called out the hero's name, but he could not hear his own voice and didn't know what name he called.

"…Zeld…"

He could see the hero now, running through the darkness. He was blond, wearing a green tunic and hat, and armed with a shining blade.

"…Zeld……Zeld……Zelda!"

zzz

Zeld awoke to mottled light and muttering voices. He started to sit up and look around, but was stopped by the sharp pain in the back of his skull and the tight ropestied around him. "Hey, what's going-"

"Shut your mouth," a woman's voice snapped.

Obediently Zeld lay on the ground and looked around, quietly. There were trees all around, letting the sunlight down in shafts. He was tied underneath a tall stump, surrounded by Gerudo girls, including the cute one and her captain, all of whom were discussing frantically in low voices. Zeld stayed still and listened.

"How are we supposed to negotiate with the royals if we don't even know where we are?" one hissed.

"We _know_ where we are," the captain hissed back. "We're in the Lost Woods."

_Aha!_ Zeld thought. _I'm in the Lost Woods_! Then: _Oh no!_ _I'm in the Lost Woods_!

"Yes, but _where_ in the Lost Woods?" The Gerudo looked around at her comrades. "Did anyone ever stop to think that they're called the _Lost_ Woods for a reason?"

"We can find our way out when we're done," the captain told the others.

"Done with what?"

"With him." The Gerudos all turned and looked at Zeld.

He blinked. "Umm…"

zzz

Link had run out of ideas. She'd been riding aimlessly in Hyrule Field for hours, and she was out of ideas. She didn't want to go back to Hyrule Castle Town after her spectacular failure, she couldn't go back home, and far too many of her former suitors lived in Kakariko City for her to go there. Perhaps the Gorons? She could say she was there to study sword-smithy. But no, a young Hylian girl living among the Gorons would be far too conspicuous. The Zoras? No, same problem.

Since Link was lost in thought as she rode along, she almost rode right over the footprints without seeing them. There had been rain the night before and the ground was muddy, so six sets of small footprints stood out clearly among the mud and in the clean grass beyond it.

Link reined in 17th and dropped down to the ground. Yep, they were definitely women's footprints, and definitely running; it had to be the Gerudos. But they weren't headed for Gerudo Valley. These prints were leading towards…the Kokiri Forest?

Link followed the direction the prints had been heading and found more, here and there, going in the same direction. Definitely the Kokiri Forest.

zzz

"What, _exactly_, do you plan on doing with me?" Zeld asked apprehensively.

"Nothing damaging," the Gerudo captain explained. "Just keeping you."

"Keeping me?" Zeld was confused. What good could come of keeping him?

"Just for a while. We want to show our king what good can come of doing bad."

"You have a king? I thought you were all-"

"Women? We are. Only one male is born to the Gerudo Tribe every hundred years, and that male is automatically made king. Our king at the moment has been raised by weak-minded fool, so he has no idea how much can be accomplished by less-than-legal means."

"You're crazy," Zeld stared at her. "I know obeying the letter of the law makes things like trade negotiations go a lot slower, but _not_ obeying the law just gets you a bad rep, so no one will _want_ to trade with you."

"This isn't about trade!" The Gerudo captain grabbed one of the ropes wrapped around Zeld's chest and hauled him up. "This is about showing our idiot king how powerful the Gerudos can really be!"

"Hey!" the cute Gerudo frowned. "I am not an idiot!"

The Gerudo captain dropped Zeld, knocking the wind out of him. This was a good thing, since Zeld was about to say something he would probably regret later.

"You little fool!" The Gerudo captain rounded on the cute Gerudo and grabbed her, or rather _him_, by the shoulders. "You've given yourself away!"

"He would have figured it out by himself eventually," the cross-dressing king replied. "I'm the only 'girl' here without the traditional Gerudo enormous rack."

The Gerudo captain drew back her hand to hit her king…

zzz

It was a lot easier to track the Gerudos in the forest. There were broken twigs and crushed plants and dislodged leaves that all told the story of the hurried passage of six pairs of feet.

Following the trail, Link eventually came to what looked like a tree-tunnel. 17th wouldn't go near it, but Link was determined to follow the trail and rescue the prince, so she left the mare outside and went into the tunnel.

It wasn't really a tunnel, as it turned out, but an entrance. Link crossed a bridge and went through another entrance, and found herself in a small village.

"Hey lady."

Link jumped with surprise and looked down. A little blond boy, dressed in green and carrying a violin, looked up at her. "Um, hey. Listen, did a bunch of women come in here?"

"Ugly women carrying a guy dressed in funny clothes?"

"Yes! Where'd they go?"

"Lost Woods." The little boy pointed to the top of a cliff nearby. "One of those mean ladies came by the other day and asked where a good place to hide would be, and Tido told them to go in there." The little boy looked around, then leaned towards Link and whispered conspiratorially. "Tido's a little bit crazy."

"Umm, okay… So they went in there?"

"Yeah, but it's dangerous. Especially for adults."

"I've heard the stories." Link looked up at the cliff. "But I have to go."

Once on top of the cliff it was easy to find the entrance to the Woods. It was a portal, just like the other two, but this one led through the trees and into a clearing, where the path branched right and left. Carefully, Link searched the ground for tracks and followed the trail left by the Gerudos.

zzz

The young Gerudo king narrowed his eyes at the captain. "If you strike me, your life is forfeit. You know that."

The captain slowly let her hand drop. "Forgive me…your _Majesty_." She spat the title.

Zeld, finally recovering his voice, managed to sit up. "Hey, listen. I know I'm just the bait here and all, but I'm sensing tension."

The captain shot a Look at her prisoner. "What?"

"Between you two," he jerked his head at the two of them. "Now, this is just a theory, but I'm guessing you were in line to be leader of the Gerudos before he came along."

"It is an honor to serve my king," the captain hissed.

"You want to make him into a criminal so that the other Gerudos will rebel against him, just like they did against your last king."

"Our last king was a madman," the captain snapped. "This one will be a glorious leader."

"Whom my father will never trust," Zeld added. "Not after this."

"Shut your mouth!" The Gerudo captain grabbed him by the ropes again, and this time drew her scimitar.

zzz

Link paused just outside the clearing she had tracked the Gerudos to. There were voices, angry voices, coming from beyond the trees.

"You want to make him into a criminal so that the other Gerudos will rebel against him, just like they did against your last king."

That was a man's voice, a very nice man's voice, the prince's voice! It had to be!

"Our last king was a madman," a female voice snapped. "This one will be a glorious leader."

"Whom my father will never trust," the prince added. "Not after this."

"Shut your mouth!" The woman sounded angry, and dangerous. Link peered around the trees and saw the Gerudo captain holding the prince up by the ropes he was tied with. She drew her scimitar and raised it up...

zzz

An arrow flew out from the trees, striking the Gerudo captain's hand and making her drop her scimitar, as well as Zeld.

"Stop right there!" a woman's voice rang out from just beyond the clearing.

"Who's there!" the captain shouted, clutching her wounded hand. "Show yourself!"

"I don't think so," the voice replied. "Leave now and I will spare your lives. Stay, and you're all going down."

"Are you _threatening_ us?" the captain asked in mock surprise. "_No one_ threatens us!"

"I believe I just did." There was suddenly a rain of arrows from the forest. Whoever was shooting, she was very good. The arrows seemed to come from half a dozen places at once, and none of them came close to hitting Zeld.

"Go!" the captain shouted. "Into the trees. Find her!" The Gerudos obeyed, charging into the forest with battle cries and weapons drawn. As soon as they were too deep in the trees to get out quickly, the arrows stopped coming and a girl in a green tunic slipped out and ducked behind Zeld.

"Shh," she said. "I'm here to help." She sliced the ropes that held him and helped him to his feet.

"My hero," Zeld said, staring at the girl. He recognized her from the throne room, but he also recognized her spirit from his dreams. She blinked at him. Zeld moaned. "I can't believe I just said that."

The girl smiled. "Neither can I. Let's just pretend you didn't."

"Can do," Zeld agreed gratefully.

"Can you use a bow?" the girl asked. The Gerudos had seen her and were coming out of the trees after them.

"Sure."

"Great." She passed him her bow and a half-full quiver of arrows. "Watch my back." She drew her sword and charged into battle.

Quickly, Zeld started firing arrows into the mess. The girl, his hero, fought with the same grace and ease that she had used to slip unnoticed into the throne room. She ducked and wove among the Gerudos, parrying an attack here, making one of her own there. When Zeld managed to incapacitate one of the Gerudos, his hero took the woman's spear and used it at the same time as her sword. She was poetry in motion, like a liquid flowing through the fray.

Then, suddenly, she ducked out of the battle and came back to him. "I haven't introduced myself," she said, "but I only have time for the informal version."

"Which is?"

The girl held out her hand. "Call me Link."

"I'm Zeld," he took the hand and kissed it.

The girl smiled. "I know who you are, your Highness," she said. Then she took her hand back and blocked an attack from one of the Gerudos, who had drawn much closer during the exchange.

Zeld elbowed a Gerudo in the stomach and took her scimitar. "Not 'your Highness,'" he said to Link. "Just Zeld."

"Whatever you say, your Highness." Link was smiling as she fought.

They had now managed to take down three of the six Gerudos. Only the captain, the king, and one with a spear were left.

"You're really good, you know," Zeld said to Link.

"You're not so bad yourself," Link replied. Then she clocked the Gerudo with the spear over the head with the hilt of her sword and the woman went down. Only the king and the captain were left.

"It's even now, Captain, your Royal Highness," Zeld said to them. "And we've taken out the rest of your group with ease. If you give up and let us leave, we won't have to finish this."

"You think I'm going to let you get away?" the captain hissed. "After what you said?"

"I only said what I thought was true," Zeld shrugged. "If you want to punish me for that-"

"-you're going to have to get through me first," Link finished, stepping in front of him.

"I can handle her myself," Zeld protested.

Link looked back at him over her shoulder. "It's a hero's job to save her prince," she grinned.

"I thought we were going to pretend I didn't say that."

"Sorry," she shrugged. "The teasing opportunities are just too good to pass up."

"Look, it just-"

"Will you two shut up!" the Gerudo captain roared. "I want to finish this!" She raised her scimitar in her good hand and swept it down towards the prince. Link raised her own sword to meet it, and as the two blades crashed the wind suddenly picked up.

And then the Gerudo king screamed.


	3. Kidnapped! Again!

Chapter 3. Kidnapped! Again!

A black cloud had appeared over the trees behind Link and Zeld, and now, as the Gerudo captain drew her scimitar away from Link's sword and stared, the cloud was reforming into a great black whirlwind preparing to touch down.

"What _is_ that thing!" Zeld exclaimed, paying no attention to the fleeing Gerudos.

"Nothing good," Link replied, shouting over the wind. She shielded her eyes and stared up at the whirlwind. It was approaching the earth at a fantastic speed. "It looks like its going to touch down…" She followed the path of the swirling black wind and her eyes fell on… "Zeld! Move!"

"You called me Zeld," the prince grinned, not paying any mind to the rest of what she'd said. Then a curl of black wind swept down and swirled around him. "Hey! What the-"

"Zeld!" Link stared helplessly as the black wind surrounded him and lifted him firmly off the ground. "No!" she threw her sword aside, darted forward, and grabbed onto the prince's ankles. But rather than pulling him back to earth, she felt herself being lifted off of it.

zzz

"No!" Zeld heard Link's voice at the same time as he felt himself unbalance and lost the ground beneath his feet. He could see nothing but the swirling black wind, and feel nothing but it tugging at him from all sides and whipping his ceremonial cape around. Then he felt something heavy grab onto his legs and hold on tight. He hoped that it might pull him back down, but as he felt the weight and the tightness of the grip increase he realized that the anchor was being pulled up with him.

"What is this!" he shouted into the whirlwind. He and his anchor were being pulled into its center. "Who's doing this!"

"Zeld!" Link's voice came from near his feet. "Just hold on, I'll get us down!"

"How do you plan on doing that?" he shouted down to her. "You're hanging on for dear life!"

"It doesn't matter, I'll find a way! I swear, I'll save you!" At that moment the winds around them increased, pulling Link away.

"Don't let go!" Zeld cried frantically. "Just hang on!"

"Zeld!" He could feel her arms scrabbling to hang on and her fingers digging into his legs, but he didn't care.

"Link!" Now only her hands were still on him. She was struggling to keep her grip but the winds were merciless and tore her from him. "_No!_"

But it was too late. She was gone.

zzz

Link was aware of nothing but blackness, spinning, and wind. Thedark whirlwind buffeted her back and forth, keeping her disoriented and aloft. She tried shouting but the wind stole her voice away and carried it off to where it couldn't be heard.

What _was_ this? It couldn't be natural, not the way it had stolen the prince. The prince! Of course, this was some kind of evil magic sent to kidnap the prince…again.

But if it had been sent to kidnap the prince, what would it do with her?

As though to answer her question the black wind suddenly grabbed her and thrust her to one side, until the wind was gone. Link had been expelled from the black whirlwind and now there was nothing to keep her in the air.

She fell for an eternity, a scream rent from her lips by the streaming air. Her eyes had teared up and she couldn't see anything, not that there was anything to see. She was falling with her back to the ground, and even though it was terrible not knowing how close the ground was, she was sure it would be even more terrible to know and to see it rising up to meet her. Just as she was starting to think that it would be better to just die and get it over with, there was a sharp, blinding pain in her back and she lost all sense of the world.

zzz

"…Zel……Zeld…" His hero called out to him from the darkness.

"Where are you?" Zeld cried. "Why can't I see you anymore?"

"…Zeld……Zel…"

"I'm right here!" he shouted. "Right here!"

"…Zeld……Zeld…"

"I don't even know who you're calling to anymore!" Zeld shouted. "Is it me or the princess that I am in my dreams!"

"…Zel……Zel…"

"Where are you and who are you calling!" Zeld was frantic, he had to know. "Tell me! _Link_!"

"Zeld!" Link, his young female hero, burst from the darkness and ran towards him. "I'm here Zeld! I'll save you, I swear it!"

zzz

"I will save you Zeld!" Link called to the prince, so far away in the darkness. "I will!"

Then she awoke with a gasp and sat up abruptly. "Aaaugh!" Pain shot from her back and through her body. Pain so bad it was accompanied by waves of nausea. Helplessly she fell back onto the bed and clutched at the sheets, begging the pain to stop. When it finally faded to a dull throb she became aware of a cool hand on her forehead and a soothing voice beside her.

"It's okay, it's okay, I know it hurts," the voice said.

Link opened her eyes, she had screwed them up in pain, and looked around. There was a man leaning over her from the left, with short sleek fair hair, red eyes, and a sun-browned complexion, a Sheikah. To Link's right there was a woman with reversed coloring, fair skin, red hair, and deep brown eyes. She was the one with the soothing voice and the cool hands.

"Felling better?" the Sheikah asked.

Link tried to nod but it renewed the pain, so instead she said, "Uh-huh."

"You're very lucky, you know that?" the Sheikah moved from her sight as he spoke. "A fall like that could have killed you."

"I know," Link said. "Where am I?"

The Sheikah returned with a damp cloth, which he placed on her forehead. "In Kakariko City," he answered. "More specifically, in my home." She noticed he wore a gold band on his left ring finger, although the bed she was in was barely big enough for one.

"But why-"

"Shush." The woman with the cool hands placed one over Link's mouth. "There will be time for questions later, your health is what matters now."

"That's right," the Sheikah agreed. "We've got to find out the extent of the damage."

"Damage?" Link asked. "What do you mean?"

"That black tornado came through town yesterday, somehow dodging all the buildings. You were thrown from it and landed on my roof," the Sheikah said. "You could be very badly hurt." He flipped back the sheets from Link's feet, which she suddenly realized were bare.

"Where're my boots?" Link asked.

"Right here beside the bed," the Sheikah answered. He noticed the look on her face. "Don't get excited, I just took off your boots and belt so you'd be more comfortable."

"Oh."

"He doesn't swing that way anyway," the woman said, slightly maliciously.

"Can you wiggle your toes for me?" the Sheikah asked, ignoring her.

"Why?"

"Just try it."

Link did and the two adults sighed with relief.

"You're even luckier than you know," the Sheikah said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Link was getting aggravated.

"All right, calm down." The Sheikah pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. "Now listen, when you landed on my roof your back hit the very highest point of it."

Link winced.

"Exactly. And since the backbone is connected to the legs, if you break it in the wrong place you can be paralyzed."

"Paralyzed!" Link exclaimed. She stared down at her legs.

"Don't worry, you're not. You wiggled your toes, remember?"

Link said nothing, but waved her feet back and forth, then tried bending her knees. "Uhn!"

"Careful!" the red-haired woman reached out in a futile effort to stop her from hurting herself. "You need to rest, you shouldn't move for a few more days at least."

"How long have I been asleep?" Link asked.

"You landed on my roof yesterday evening," the Sheikah said, "And now it's noon of the next day. We actually hoped you'd sleep longer."

Link said nothing, but reached foreword and threw the blankets off of her. "I've got to go," she said, struggling to sit up.

"You can't!" the red-haired woman put her hands on Link's shoulders and tried to guide her back to bed.

"I _have_ to, I swore I would save the prince and now-"

"The prince!" the Sheikah exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

"Prince Zeld was snatched up by that black whirlwind and I couldn't save him. Again," she added bitterly. "I swore to him that I would save him and I will, no matter what."

The Sheikah was looking at her seriously. "My people tell a story, that says whenever our world is in danger a hero will be reborn to save it. That hero always has the same spirit, and the same name. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Lady Linkalla Vanguardian Lon Lon," Link answered. "But most people call me-

"Link." The Sheikah said it at the same time she did.

"What does this mean?" the red-haired woman asked the Sheikah.

"It means we have to let her go," he answered.

zzz

Zeld awoke face down on sand, with the feeling he'd been out for a long time. As soon as he was awareenough he struggled to sit up, but was impeded by ropes. Again. Zeld was starting to hate ropes.

"Greetings your Highness," a male voice said from above him. He was grabbed by a couple of the ropes between his shoulders and lifted up to face his captor. "I trust your trip was an unpleasant one," the man sneered. He was very tall, even taller than Zeld, and looked to be in his late thirties or early forties, although his hair was completely white.

Zeld processed the situation as quickly as he was able, which was fairly quickly, then put on a blank look and babbled. "No, it was fine actually. The black whirlwind thingie was pretty cool, and flying through the air was great. I was a little bit worried about my friend when I lost her, but she's completely insane so she'll be fine."

The man stared at the prince.

Zeld kept right on babbling. "Who are you by the way? It was kind of rude of you to pick me up from the forest like that. If you were trying to rescue me you were late, Link and I had that part handled, but if you were trying to kidnap me that's just weird. Kidnapping me from my kidnappers? That's tacky if you ask me. And hey, who are you?"

The man holding him shook him slightly to get him to stop talking. "I am Vaaltos, the Wizard of the Black Wind, and you are my prisoner."

"Ah," Zeld nodded knowingly, then looked the man up and down. He was wearing black robes with black embroidery and black fur on the cuffs. "Um, monochromatic wardrobe much?"

"What?"

"You don't really care if anyone knows you're evil, do you?"

Vaaltos swished his robes. "I think it's a good look for me."

"It's a good look for anyone who's _evil_." He looked at him again. "And middle-aged. What are you, forty?"

Vaaltos blinked. "You're going to be as annoying as possible throughout this whole thing, aren't you?"

"That is my plan, yes."

zzz

"It means we have to let her go."

"Yes!" Link cried triumphantly. She swung her legs over the bed and sat up. Then screamed with pain and fell back.

"Not until she's better though," the Sheikah added.

"I'm fine," Link protested. She sat up very slowly, trying to minimize the pain, but couldn't even get halfway up before she had to drop back down. "Okay, maybe not so fine."

The red-haired woman had pulled a large book from the bag she had hung on her chair. "There's a potion that is said to be able to cure just about everything," she said. "But it requires some pretty exotic ingredients."

The Sheikah looked at the woman. "Mara," he said seriously. "I know you. You have most, if not all, of those ingredients back home in your cupboard."

Mara grinned. "Okay, you got me. But I'm still short a forest mushroom. Those things spoil so quickly I could never keep one."

"I can pay," Link said, feeling helpless. "My parents don't know I'm doing any of this, but if I write them a letter I'm sure they'll pay you back."

"It's not a matter of money," the Sheikah began.

"Yes it is," Mara disagreed. "You write a note as soon as your back is better."

"Uhh, okay…"

"And you," Mara turned to the Sheikah, "flash off to the Lost Woods and get me a mushroom that looks like this." She held up the book and showed him a picture.

He glared at her for a moment. "Do you care more about money than the fate of our world?"

"You don't know that the fate of the world is at stake. Besides, if it is shouldn't you be getting our little heroine that mushroom?"

The Sheikah glared again, the grabbed something from a jar on the table near the bed, threw it on the ground and vanished in a flash of light.

Link blinked. "Woah."


	4. Annoying Interlude

Chapter 4. Annoying Interlude

Vaaltos, Master of the Black Wind, really knew how to travel in style. He'd called up a short black tornado that he somehow managed to stand on top of like a pedestal, and it was moving at a rapid clip across the desert. He was still carrying Zeld by the ropes, and Zeld was still being as annoying as possible.

"Where are we?" Zeld asked. "Where are you taking me? What do you want with me? How come I've never heard of you?"

"We're in a desert east of Hyrule," Vaaltos answered. "You'll find out where I'm taking you soon enough. I'll tell you what I want with you eventually. And you've never heard of me because I'm…not from around here."

"Wow, you answered all my questions kinda. I should start asking tougher ones."

"I wish you wouldn't."

"Now I have to. Why is the sky blue? How does plumbing work? How old are you? How _exactly_ do they make steel? Do you ever get vertigo? What color is aubergine? How come they have so many names for beige? Why am I tied up? Why is that vein on your forehead sticking out like that? Do you always grind your teeth so hard? What kind of name is Vaaltos anyway?"

"Will you shut up!"

"Not until you answer all of my questions."

"But I can't even remember all of them!" Vaaltos sounded desperate.

"Don't care, want answers."

"That's it!" Vaaltos thrust Zeld out over the empty air beyond the black tornado. "Shut up or I drop you."

Zeld gulped at the sight of the earth so far below him, but remained confident. "You won't drop me," he said. "You need me for something. I don't know what because you won't tell me, but something."

"You want to know why I've captured you?" Vaaltos laughed. "I thought you were supposed to be smart."

"I'm not following."

"Isn't it obvious?" Vaaltos turned Zeld toward him and grinned wickedly. "I want the Triforce of Wisdom."

"Oh that. I don't have it."

"_What_!"

zzz

The Sheikah returned in only fifteen minutes with the mushroom, but it was more like fifteen years to Link. Every second she was helpless on that bed, Zeld was getting further and further away from her. She was sure of it, even though she wasn't sure why.

Finally though, the Sheikah was back in a flash of light and Mara took the mushroom off to her house to mix the potion.

"What's your name?" Link asked, wanting to do anything to make the wait go faster.

"Kobold," he answered.

"Well Kobold," Link smiled at the ceiling. "I owe you a lot."

"No you don't," he said. "I, unlike my misguided neighbor, believe that saving the world takes precedence over any debts."

"Meaning what, exactly."

"Meaning I neither want, nor will accept, your money."

"I didn't say anything about money."

"But you said-"

"I owe you, it doesn't have to be money. If you ever need help, just remember me."

Kobold smiled. "It's very strange, thinking of you as a hero."

"Why, because I'm a _girl_?"

"No," he sat down on the bed beside her. "Because you're the same age as my little sister. I watched her grow up, and now I see you setting off to save the world."

"It's not the world," Link said. "Just the prince."

Kobold looked down at her. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

zzz

"What do you _mean _you don't have it?" Vaaltos roared.

"Exactly what I said." Zeld shrugged as best he could. "The Triforce of Wisdom will only be passed down to me when my wisdom exceeds that of the current holder."

"Who is?"

"Yeah," Zeld snorted, "like I'm going to tell you."

Vaaltos shook him roughly. "You'll tell me, or I'll tear the information from you."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Zeld said matter-of-factly.

"Oh no?"

"Nope," Zeld shook his head. "I'd hold me for ransom."

Vaaltos blinked. "You would."

"Yep."

"Why are you suggesting that?"

"Several reasons actually. First, because it's a much better idea. Second, because I don't want to get hurt or killed. And third, because I figure the longer you hold me unharmed, the better chance I've got of being rescued."

"Rescued?" Vaaltos laughed. "You won't be rescued, not from where I'm taking you."

zzz

"Ow!"

"Hold still."

"I'm trying, but you keep- Ow!"

"I said hold still!"

Muttering to herself, Link held as still as she could, but it was hard to hold still and wheedle information out of someone at the same time. "Come on, tell me," she said to Kobold. "What don't I know?"

"Mara says not to excite you."

"No I didn't."

"You stay out of this."

"Come on, please?"

"After you're better."

"But-"

"Hold _still!_"

"Ow!" Mara had used the forest mushroom to make a salve as well as a potion. Link had already drunk the potion, and it had cured all her minor hurts as well as relieving most of the pain in her back, but Mara insisted that the salve would go straight to the pain and should be applied immediately.

Kobold, after insinuating that whatever it was Link didn't know was something she definitely _should_ know, had flatly refused to tell her. This wouldn't be so annoying, except that he seemed to enjoy tormenting her.

"You know it already, or you should if you've heard _any_ of the stories about our country, so I'm not going to tell you."

"I swear, as soon as I can get off this bed-"

"What are you going to do?" Kobold asked, grinning. "Kill me?"

"I might."

"You wouldn't, you're a hero."

"Well, maybe not _kill_ you. But I'll beat you to within an inch of your life."

"I'll hold him down for you," Mara offered.

"Hey, thanks."

"No prob." Mara finally took her hands off Link's back and wiped them on her skirt. "That should do it."

"Yes!" Link jumped off the bed and stretched. There was no pain, not even any stiffness. "Ha ha! Perfect! I'm out of here!"

She pulled on her boots and buckled her belt back on, then grabbed her pack and turned to Kobold. "I'll spare you," she said loftily, "if you'll at least tell me which way the whirlwind went."

"I'll show you, come on."

He led her outside and pointed toward the mountains beyond the city, the light glinting off his ring. "Straight across," he said. "Away from the setting sun."

"Across the mountains?"

"Uh-huh, which means you'll probably be needing her." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, indicating-

"17th!" Link exclaimed. She ran over and hugged the mare's neck. "Where did you find her?"

"Outside the Kokiri Forest," he said. "She had your family's crest on her saddle so I naturally assumed she was yours. And apparently I was right."

"You were _absolutely_ right!" Link exclaimed, still squeezing 17th's neck. "You didn't happen to find a bow, some arrows, and a sword there, did you?"

"No, I didn't find anything like that."

Link sighed. "I guess I'll need to arm myself before I go then. Do you know of any weapon shops nearby?"

"There's a place in town where you can get a bow and arrows, but if you really intend to leave Hyrule's boundaries and save the prince, you're going to need more than just a sword…"

zzz

"I had no idea there was a huge desert east of Hyrule. We are east of Hyrule aren't we? That looks like Death Mountain back there."

"Yes, if you must know-"

"I must."

"Shut up. We _are_ east of Hyrule, and that _is_ Death Mountain. You didn't know there was a desert here because you Hylians don't think that there is anything beyond your precious country."

"So you're saying there is?"

Vaaltos smiled mysteriously. "There are whole worlds…"

zzzzz

AN: Er, sorry. I didn't realize this was such a short chaper when I wrote it. I'll post the next one in the next couple days to make up for it.


	5. Another World

Chapter 5. Another World

Nearly an hour after sunset the Wizard of the Black Wind stopped his black tornado at the edge of the desert. There was some grass, and some mountains further on, but nothing else.

"What are we doing here?" Zeld asked, keeping up his be-as-annoying-as-is-physically-possible game plan. "There's nothing here, I expected a big scary black wind fortress."

"I only took you across the desert to lay a false trail," Vaaltos said. He waved a hand and the black tornado shrunk away until it set them on the ground, though Vaaltos was the only one with his feet really on the ground, since he was still carrying Zeld with one hand. "Actually, we will be leaving this world."

"Oh, really?" Zeld asked politely. Then he realized something. "Wait, leaving this world? Are you going to-"

"I'm not going to kill you," Vaaltos rolled his eyes, then threw the prince to the ground. "I think you know more about the Triforce of Wisdom then you're telling, so I'm going to hold you prisoner until you tell me."

"No torture?"

"Not if you tell me."

"So you _will_ be torturing me then."

Vaaltos ignored him. He raised a hand and some of his black wind swirled into it, forming into something that looked like a giant black tuning fork.

"Is that supposed to make me talk?"

"No," Vaaltos glared at him. "It's supposed to open the way."

"The way," Zeld repeated incredulously.

"Shut up." Vaaltos gripped the tuning fork and thrust it into the air in front of him. Zeld was about to comment of the futility of the action, but stopped when he noticed that the prongs of the tuning fork had abruptly gotten shorter, as though they'd been pushed into something.

Then Vaaltos twirled the fork and, accompanied by a tearing sound, light appeared in the path of the prongs. It was a thin sparkling, like the surface of a bubble, but strange and distorted. It almost looked as though it were reflecting different scenery.

"What is that?" Zeld asked. "What are you doing?"

"I'm opening the way." Vaaltos swept the tuning fork in a large circle, spreading even more soap film across the landscape.

"Yeah, and that just makes so much sense."

"Come on," the Wizard picked up the prince and carried him over to the film, setting him on his feet in front of it. "Go through."

Zeld looked at the film, then at Vaaltos. Something dawned on him. Something bad. But he couldn't let Vaaltos know about it. "You've got to be kidding me," he said.

"Nope, get going."

"I am not going into that- that- hole in reality!"

"Oh, too bad." Vaaltos picked him up again. "I guess I'll just have to toss you through."

"No! Wait!"

But Vaaltos ignored him and threw him into the hole.

zzz

"There are rumors that a Great Fairy lives on top of Death Mountain," Kobold said, gesturing toward it. "But it's dangerous up there, and it's getting late."

"I don't care," Link said firmly. "If you think the Great Fairy will grant me magic, I have to go see her."

"Then at least stay here for the night."

Link looked at him, then back at his house. "Erm, it's not that I don't trust you, but..."

"What? Oh no, no. I wouldn't- I'm- I'm not...that kind of guy..."

"I know, I'm sorry. But..."

"You can stay in the inn if it will make you feel better, but I still think you should wait until morning. There's no way you can make the climb in the dark anyway."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Link sighed and leaned forward, resting her chin on her knees. "I just really want to hurry."

"You care a lot about him, don't you?" Kobold asked softly.

"I don't know. A little. Maybe. I just met the guy. But we got along really well, and he's, well, he's cute."

Kobold laughed. "So you _are _a teenager."

"Sue me." She sighed again. "It's weird, you know? At first, when he got kidnapped by those Gerudos, I went after him because it was just the right thing to do. I didn't even think about it, I just did it because it was what I _should_ be doing. But then I met him. And I realized...I don't know. That he's more than just the Prince I guess. He became a person to me. And now I want to save him because... Well, because it's what I _should_ be doing."

Kobold patted her on the shoulder. "You are very foolish."

She shot him a venomous look.

"The sign of a true hero," he smiled at her.

zzz

Zeld wriggled around and managed to sit up, then was lifted off the ground and held aloft once again by Vaaltos. "Where is this?"

"Welcome, your Highness, to the graveyard of Termina."

Zeld looked around. He was surrounded by tombstones, weeds, and darkness. "Yep, this is a graveyard all right. But who's Termina?"

"Termina is a place, not a person. And it's where we are. Look over there," he pointed to a group of lights far off in the darkness. "That is Clock Town. The biggest city anywhere."

"No it's not," Zeld said.

"Of course it is. That city's bigger than any in Hyrule."

"I don't know about that. Kakariko's pretty big."

"It's nowhere near as big as Clock Town. All the races live there, in one place. The Zoras, the Gorons, the Dekus, the ReDeads-"

"ReDeads?"

"They're a race. Sort of. Now."

"But they're nothing but magic in the shape of walking corpses!"

"So?"

"Good point." Zeld was silent for awhile, looking around. This world wasn't really all that different from Hyrule. It got dark at night, the people lived in cities, they were buried in cemeteries, there were stars and a moon in the sky… The moon... "Oh. My. God," was all Zeld could say.

"Saw the moon did you?" Vaaltos grinned. "Yeah, it's pretty scary."

"Does it always…glower like that?" The full moon glowered down at them.

"Yep, ever since it got turned around."

"The moon got turned around?"

"By some crazy kid with a mask. It was a long time ago though, no one here really notices it anymore."

Zeld couldn't understand that, but they were entering the town and he had more important matters to deal with…

zzz

Link flopped onto the tiny thin bed in her room at the inn. The bed was too flimsy to take that kind of punishment, but Link wasn't in the mood to care.

She sighed deeply. "Another night without Zeld…" she said aloud. Then she realized that sounded like a sex thing and blushed involuntarily. She sighed again and closed her eyes.

_I am doing waaay too much sighing lately..._

zzz

"Hey! Help! I've been kidnapped! Somebody help me! Hey you, help!" No one was paying any attention to Zeld's frantic cries. Vaaltos was walking through the town, the picture of calm, still carrying Zeld by the ropes which bound him. A few people nodded in greeting as he passed, others smiled or said hi, but none seemed to find it strange that he was holding a struggling prince.

"Goddess," Zeld swore. "Do you have these people under a spell or something?"

"No, not really," Vaaltos said calmly. "They just don't particularly care what I do."

"'Keep your head down and it won't get blown off?'"

"Exactly."

They were now approaching the clock tower in the center of town. Rather unsurprisingly, it was almost completely covered in black wind. Only the clock face was still visible beneath the niellen column.

"Home base?" Zeld guessed.

"Bingo."

It was dark inside, probably because all the windows were blocked by wind. There were ReDeads and Wolfos and other creatures Zeld didn't recognized moving around, seeming to go about tasks, but they, like the villagers, barely noticed the Wizard and his captive.

"I think I'm going to keep you in a cage, suspended from the ceiling," Vaaltos mused.

"Oh joy," Zeld muttered. "Have I mentioned lately that I hate you?"

"Yes."

zzz

"Please tell me that cage is not made of black wind," Zeld's voice said.

"Of course it is," a male voice Link didn't recognized replied. "What did you think?"

"Oh, I don't know, how about…_steel_?" Zeld asked. He sounded sarcastic and bitter.

_What's going on?_ Link mused sleepily. _How come I can hear Zeld and this weird guy in my head? Am I dreaming? Wait, I never know I'm dreaming when I'm dreaming…_

zzz

"I'm hungry," Zeld announced once he was shut in the black cage. "Are you going to feed me?"

Vaaltos rolled his eyes. "Maybe tomorrow. I'm going to go re-think my plan, you just keep quiet and don't provoke the Wolfos." With a wake of his hand the lamps were snuffed and Zeld was left alone in utter darkness.

He sighed and leaned back. This was bad.. Very very bad. So bad he couldn't even express it in words. But he tried. "Well, this sucks," he said aloud.

"At least you don't work for that guy," a voice said.

Zeld stared helplessly at the speaker.

zzzzz

Another short chapter. But the plot is thickening...


	6. Gossip, Through Stones

Chapter 6. Gossip, Through Stones

Link dreamed.

She was walking with Zeld in the castle courtyard, and they were talking and laughing about nothing in particular. They were happy.

They came upon a Gossip Stone.

"You see this?" Zeld asked, pointing to a large chip in the Stone. "I knocked that out one day while practicing with my sword. Gossip Stones have special powers, so I keep the piece with me at all times."

He looked directly in her eyes. "It's my theory that if two people have pieces of the same Gossip Stone, they might be able to communicate through it."

"So they could talk to each other, even across great distances?"

"Even across worlds..."

"Worlds?"

"Worlds, Link."

He leaned toward her...

And then she woke up.

"Dammit..."

zzz

"Hellooooo?" Vaaltos waved in Zeld's blank face.

Zeld blinked. "Huh?"

"What is _with _teenagers today?" Vaaltos shook his head. "Are you going through withdrawal or something?"

"Or something," Zeld muttered.

"Are you ready to talk?" Vaaltos grinned an evil grin that he had obviously practiced.

Zeld shook his head to clear it. "'Bout what? 'Cause I'm always ready to talk, just not about whatever it is you want from me. What was that again?"

Vaaltos groaned. "I want _you_," he paused and pointed at Zeld,"to tell _me_," he pointed at himself, "where the Triforce of Wisdom is."

Zeld nodded thoughtfully, as though thinking about it. "No."

"Don't feed him," Vaaltos ordered the Sheikah guard as he swirled from the room, black robes raising a cloud of dust behind him.

Zeld stared after him for a moment, then turned to the Sheikah. "Why do you work for that guy again?"

"I told you last night," the man sighed. "I don't have much choice. I didn't know the guy was an evil whack job when I swore my oath to him, but he is, and he has ways of making me stick to my oath."

The Sheikah was tall and thin, with long silver hair and red eyes behind the dark tinted spectacles he wore. In Hyrule, the Sheikah were the sworn protectors of the royal family. But this was Termina and they _had _no royal family. So the man had no real reason to help Zeld.

"What's your name anyway?" Zeld asked, more out of boredom than anything else.

"You can call me Tor," the Sheikah said.

"Tor? That a nickname?"

"Sort of, yeah. It's the only name anyone here knows me by. And I prefer to keep it that way."

Zeld sighed. "You Sheikah think you're so mysterious..."

"Hey, if you're going to bring race into it I have no trouble retaliating."

"No, sorry, I'm just a little bummed."

"Understandable."

zzz

Link was going to the palace. That dream could have been just that, a dream, but she had to know. It was...important.

For some odd reason, there was little security around the castle. Perhaps they assumed that nothing worse could happen now that the prince was gone. Or perhaps all the guards were sieging the Gerudo Valley. Either way, Link had no trouble sneaking in.

The courtyard was completely empty, which she had expected. Who would be enjoying this beautiful day when the prince was missing? If only they knew what had really happened. If only _she _knew what had really happened.

Zeld had been picked up by the black tornado. Kobold said the black tornado had gone east. Link had had a dream where Zeld told her about a Gossip Stone with a chip in it. Those were the only facts.

The Gossip Stone was located exactly where it had been in the dream, in a corner of the courtyard. The chip was not large, but it was noticeable. Gossip Stones were notoriously indestructible. Link wondered how in the world Zeld had managed to chip this one. And how she was going to do the same.

The location and state of the Gossip Stone were enough to convince her that everything in the dream was real, so she was determined to get a piece of the thing. She had to talk to Zeld.

Having no sword was a problem, as was avoiding detection if she was going to be hammering at a rock, but she pulled an arrow from her quiver and decided to make the best of it.

She barely made a dent.

"Stupid magic rock," she muttered. "Don't you know I'm trying to save Zeld here!" With that she stabbed the Stone once more and, much to her surprise, a piece popped off into her hand.

"Um, thanks," she said, stunned. She backed away slowly, then turned and ran for it.

She didn't stop running until she got to 17th, and then galloped the mare all the way to a secluded spot by the ancient crumbling wall in Hyrule Field.

She examined the chip. It just looked like a rock, nothing remarkable, not even a bit of the Eye of Truth logo on it. One deep cleansing breath later, Link gripped the rock in her hands and murmured, "Zeld?"

zzz

Zeld yelped and jumped in his cage.

Tor looked up at him from his game of solitaire. "What's up?"

"Um, nothing, I- nothing."

"Right." He turned back to his cards.

Zeld pulled his chip of the Gossip Stone out of his pocket and stared at it. He hadn't actually expected his "plan" to work, but something was definitely going on. He squeezed the rock tightly in one hand and tried to look like his mind wasn't elsewhere.

zzz

_Link_?

Link squeaked with surprise. "Zeld? That you?"

_Yeah_.

"Are you all right?" they asked in unison.

There was a brief, uncomfortable pause, then they both laughed.

"Um, I'm fine. Totally fine," Link said.

_You sure? What happened to you?_

"Well, I landed on this guy's roof but he turned out to be really nice, and a Sheikah besides, so he helped me out."

_Lucky you. I'm in a cage made of wind. Kinda. I think._

"That's...weird."

_Yes. Yes it is._

"Why are you in a cage made of wind? Where are you? And why is your voice in my head instead of coming from the rock?"

_Um, well, to answer your last question first: I'm using telepathy. And that's because it would look really weird if I started talking to myself._

"Telepathy?"

_Yup. And I gotta tell you, I have **never **been so grateful to be good at magic in my **life**._

"Heh. So what about my other questions?"

Zeld took the mental equivalent of a deep breath, then started in...

zzz

Link blinked and stared down at the rock in her hands. "So...that's it?"

_Yup_.

"You're...in another world?"

_I'm afraid so_.

"So how do I get there?"

_I'm not really sure. Vaaltos used a forky-looking thing to open the way, but it was all the way across the desert._

"The desert in the east?" she said flatly, confirming what he'd said before.

_That's right_.

"The one that I'd never heard of before."

_Yuh-huh_.

"I'm still having trouble with that."

_It's not going to matter if you can't even find a way to get there_. He paused. _Look Link...I'm not sure I want you try anyway_...

"What? Why not?"

_It's dangerous. I...don't want you to get hurt. I don't want **anyone **to get hurt_.

"You can't really stop me."

_That's...probably true. But I can ask you. Please. Don't put yourself in danger for me._

"No."

Link-

"I said no! Someone has to save you Zeld, and I'm the only one who even knows where you are!"

_You could tell_-

"They wouldn't listen. No one ever listens to me."

For a moment, Zeld said nothing. _I'll listen_.

"Thanks Zeld. And normally I would listen to you too. But...you need help. And I'm going to help you."

_Just try not to get yourself killed_?

"Hey, I'd do that even if you hadn't asked me."

_Good. I_-

Then his voice was gone. Cut off, as though someone had clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Zeld!" Link exclaimed.

zzz

"Hey," Tor waved his hand as close to level with Zeld's face as he could, which was fairly close since he was pretty tall. "Are you all right?"

"Fine. Sort of. Mostly." Zeld shifted uncomfortably in the cage. "Why?"

"You were staring off into space."

"I was...uh..."

"And drooling."

Zeld wiped his mouth quickly.

"Maybe Lord Vaaltos was right. _Are _you going through withdrawal?"

"_No_," Zeld glared. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you were staring off into space. Wait," Tor got a mischievous glint behind his glasses. "You're high _now _aren't you?"

"No!"

"What were you doing then?"

Zeld sighed. "Let's just say it's keeping my mind off of food."

"Oh, that reminds me. Here." Tor held a large loaf of bread out to Zeld.

"Really?" Zeld stared at the bread, almost drooling.

"Just take it. I hate seeing men pass out."

Zeld had the tact to ignore that.

zzz

"Zeld?" Link looked around, even though she knew it was useless. "Zeld, you there? _Zeld_?"

_Sorry 'bout that_.

"Zeld! What happened?"

_I'm not too good at telepathy yet and I have to kind of...stare into space to do it. People keep interrupting me and we get cut off_.

"Oh, well...okay."

_Were you worried_? Zeld's thought-voice was teasing.

"Of _course _I was worried! You've been kidnapped!"

_Wow. So you **are **a girl_.

"You had doubts?" Link bristled.

_Heh. Not really. But, no guy would ever admit to being worried so easily_.

"I'll keep that in mind if I ever feel the need to cross-dress."

_Do that._

zzz

Zeld and Link spent the evening discussing plans for his rescue, or at least that had been their intention. Actually, they wound up discussing Zeld's childhood, or lack thereof. Link was being rather vague about her own past, but dropped hints that she'd grown up in a noble house. If he took that to mean she'd been a servant, that was his business.

_Of course, once I turned twelve I started getting marriage proposals_.

"Tw- _twelve_!"

_Well, I **am **crown prince_.

"But..." _I didn't even get marriage proposals until I was fourteen_, Link thought.

_Fourteen! Woah, you must have been a babe prodigy or something_!

"I _what_! Wait, how did you hear that?"

_Oh, um, I'm in your head remember_?

"So you can hear my thoughts! Oh Goddess!"

_Not "hear" exactly. People don't usually think in words you know_.

"So then...you don't know what I'm thinking?"

_I can sense your feelings, and I can hear your thoughts if I'm concentrating and you put them in words. Other than that it's just feelings. Why? Keeping secrets?_

"So? Aren't you?"

_Maybe_. He paused. _Actually, no. No, I'm not. I don't have secrets_.

"Oh... Now I feel bad."

_Don't. All girls keep secrets. I think. Do they_?

"Yeah, mostly. Girls try to hide their faults from guys. Don't guys try to hide their faults from girls?"

_Guys don't think that much_.

"You know, I think I knew that."

_Who doesn't_?

Several hours later Zeld's thought-voice started trailing off and Link realized she couldn't stop yawning. "Maybe we should go to bed," she mumbled.

_Mmm_. Zeld agreed.

Link unrolled her blanket and lay down. It was odd, she'd spent most of the day talking to apparent thin air, but it didn't worry her at all. Because Zeld was safe, or at least unharmed, and so she could save him. All was right with the world.

She almost forgot what she had run away from.

The last thing she heard, as she tottered on the edge of sleep, was Zeld's "voice" saying, _Do you realize we're sleeping together_?

And as embarrassed as she was to admit it, she did.

zzz

Zeld blinked his eyes and stretched, banging his knuckles on the top of the black wind cage. "How can wind be so hard?" he muttered.

The Wolfos who was guarding him now looked up at him and growled.

"Easy boy," Zeld muttered. "It's not like I'm getting out of here. Not any time soon anyway..."

zzz

The next morning, Link headed back for Kakariko. She hated to impose on Kobold even more than she already had, but he was the only person she could think of who might be able to help.

It was early, only a couple hours after dawn, but somehow Link was not surprised to find Kobold awake and outside, stretching against the side of his house.

"'Morning," Link called.

"Oh, good morning," Kobold straightened and smiled at her. "Is something wrong?"

"Sort of... I, uh, got in touch with the prince."

"Really? That's great!" He noticed the look on her face. "Isn't it?"

"Can we talk?"

"Of course. Come on inside, I'll make tea."

Link explained everything Zeld had told her while Kobold made the tea. He handed her a mug and sipped thoughtfully at his own as she finished.

"Termina huh?" he said when she finished.

"Yes."

"Another world?"

"Yes."

"Not good."

"Very not good."

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Not really. I mean...how do I get to a whole other world?"

"It's been done before. The Hero of Time-"

"That's right!" Link leapt to her feet. "He went to another world didn't he! I think it was even Termina! So there _must _be a way!"

"Of course there's a _way_. If there wasn't that wizard couldn't have taken the prince there."

"Oh...yeah..."

"But a way that you can use...that's what we really need."

"We?"

"We."

Link couldn't help but smile.

"I have a thought..." he put his cup down and stood up. "I'm not sure, I need to look it up, but it may help you. I hope I'm right though. It's been a while since I read the story."

"Which story?"

"The one you just mentioned yourself." He smiled at her. "Sit down, finish your tea, I've got to go find something."

Link did, and Kobold disappeared into a back room. She sat there, looking around at his kitchen. You can learn a lot about a person from their home, and Kobold's so far seemed perfectly normal and nice. The kitchen was bright and clean, if a little empty. Much of his house seemed empty actually. It was plenty big enough for two people, but from the looks of things he had lived alone for years. Odd...

"Here it is," Kobold said, returning. He was carrying a large old book with a leather cover, opened to somewhere near the middle. He lay the book down on the table and turned it so Link could see.

There was an illustration of a sword, quite a beautiful one, with black roses drawn on the blade. She didn't know if the roses were just part of the illustration, or actually on the sword, but it was from a story so it didn't really matter.

"It's known as the Black Rose Blade, though that may have not originally been its name." Kobold pointed to a passage underneath the picture. "The Hero of Time brought it back with him from Termina, where he got it from the Great Fairy. It was a magic sword to begin with, and when the Hero took it with him between worlds, it retained some of that power. The story says it can be used not only to find passages between worlds, but also to create them. Although...I kind of doubt that part's true since the Hero had several moments where that power would have come in handy, but he never used it."

"Either way, it still sounds perfect!" Link leaned over the book and started reading. It said just what Kobold had told her, but there was more. If she was interpreting the archaic writing correctly... "This sword, where is it now?"

"It says the Hero put it in a place where he knew no one could get to it easily. A place very close to his childhood home."

"That's what I was afraid of." She sighed. "It looks like I've got no choice...I've got to go back to the Lost Woods."

zzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes from the Author

Okay, the next chapter is being a little _bitch_, and preparations for Kumori Con are taking a lot more time than I thought (I'm cosplaying _and_ selling art. If you've ever worked with charcoal you know my pain) so don't expect another chapter for at least a week or two. And if you're going to Kumori Con (unlikely, I know, but it would be so cool to meet one of you there) I'll be the short busty white chick in glasses dressed as Rin. I'll be accompanied by the _entire cast_ of Inuyasha. Because we're cool like that.


	7. Get Worse, Get Better

Chapter 7. Things Get Worse, Things Get Better

"The Lost Woods!" Kobold exclaimed. "Are you crazy?"

"Hey, I've been there before," Link shrugged. "That's where all this started."

"But the _Lost Woods_? People go in there and they never come out! It's barely in this world!" He closed the book firmly. "Getting yourself killed or turned into a monster won't help the prince."

"I'm not going to get killed," Link rolled her eyes. "I told you, I've been there before, and I'm pretty good at tracking. I'll be fine."

Kobold shook his head. "I just don't know... You think you're indestructible, but no one is. Not even the ones we care about..." He was fiddling with his ring, probably unconsciously, but Link noticed.

She nodded. "I understand Kobold. I'll be careful. Maybe I can talk one of the Kokiri into showing me around."

"Maybe... Yeah, that might work."

"You don't need to worry about me."

"But I think I will anyway," Kobold smiled wryly. He looked down at his hands, still fiddling with his ring. "The last person I knew who went into the Lost Woods...never came back."

"Well, I will."

"Yes, I think you will." He smiled again, and this time it was a real one. "Good luck, and may the Goddesses smile on you."

"Thank you Kobold."

zzz

Zeld gritted his teeth and arched his back, choking on a scream.

"I know you know," Vaaltos said flatly. "If you tell me, this can stop."

"N– no..." Zeld choked. "I- I don't know anything."

"Tell me!"

Zeld clenched his teeth so hard he thought they might crack. He felt tears squeezing from his eyes, but he didn't care. He just wanted it to stop.

"You know," Vaaltos said, completely calm. "It'll hurt less if you scream."

"I...I still have some dignity..." Zeld managed to say.

"Dignity huh? Perhaps that will be next to go."

"N-no..."

zzz

"Hey," Tor said.

Zeld didn't even look at him.

"I brought you a clean cloth and some water."

"Thanks," Zeld muttered.

"Are you...all right?"

"I will be."

"Anything broken?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Any scars?"

"No. At least I doubt it. Almost everything he did to me was magic. Although he did steal all my accessories."

"Oh... Do you need anything else?"

"Some tweezers would be nice."

"He...didn't sand the table?"

"No."

"I've got some in my room. I'll be right back."

"Wait."

Tor stopped. "Yeah?"

"You live here?"

"Well...yeah." He looked down. "I have nowhere else to go."

"Why are you helping me? Won't you get in trouble?"

"Probably. But I'm not breaking my oath, not really. There are loopholes."

"Thanks Tor."

"You're welcome your Highness."

"Zeld."

"...Zeld."

zzz

Back in the Kokiri Forest. It was exactly the same as the last time Link had been there, although to be fair it had only been a few days. Still, with everything that had happened it felt like something should have changed.

"Hey lady!" a little boy exclaimed. "You're back!"

"Huh?" She looked at him. Blond hair, violin... "Oh it's you! From before."

"Yeah!" He smiled up at her. "You're okay! How did you make it out?"

"I just did." She frowned. "Didn't anyone else make it out?"

"No, nobody else has come out. Although I didn't see you come out either... How _did _you get out?"

"I was lucky...sort of. What's happened to the others?"

"Well they're lost aren't they? They're in the _Lost _Woods."

"I know, but... Will they just die? What'll happen?"

"I don't know." The boy looked down at his feet. "People don't normally go in there. And those that do just...don't come out."

"Have you ever been in there?" she frowned down at him.

"A few times, yes," he admitted.

"Have you ever seen what's left of those people?"

"There's Stalfos..."

"Stalfos?"

"Monsters. Gotta watch out for those."

"Right. Thanks." She rolled her eyes.

"You are going in there, aren't you?"

"Yeah. I kind of have to."

"But why?" He actually sounded worried.

"I'm looking for something."

"Like what?"

She looked at him. "Have you ever heard of the Black Rose Blade?"

Suddenly the boy's face darkened. He no longer looked like a little boy, but like a man, who just happened to be short. "Yes," he said. "I've heard of it."

"Well do you know where it is?"

"No," he said flatly. "I have no idea. Will you excuse me?" He turned and strode off toward the back of the village.

Link decided to ignore that exchange and go into the Lost Woods anyway. She scrambled up the ledges that led up to the entrance, almost losing her balance due to the weight of her pack. She'd brought enough food for five days, a couple changes of clothes, and a large hunting knife to mark her trail. Anything to avoid getting lost. Or to avoid dying if she did.

The Woods hadn't changed either. They were just as thick and innocently pretty as ever, although the light was different than she remembered. Of course, it was earlier in the day than the last time she'd been there.

Link had no idea where to begin. None. Wandering aimlessly in the Lost Woods was not a good idea by any means, but what else was she supposed to do? She'd never actually had any intention of asking for help, no matter what she'd told Kobold.

So she shouldered her pack and went off in what she thought was the same direction she'd gone before. Hey, it was better than standing around doing nothing.

As she walked down the path she couldn't help but notice the odd silence of the forest. There were no squirrels, no birds, or at least none that sang.

Once she thought she saw a flash of fur, off between the trees. And another time she was certain she heard the flapping of huge wings behind her, but when she turned there was nothing there.

Creepy...

And then, before she knew it, she was lost. She'd been marking her path, but...somehow, she was lost.

"I am so gonna die."

zzz

"I am so gonna die," Zeld muttered. It was the middle of the night, and, what with the darkness and all, he was getting depressed. The pain from earlier had faded to a dull ache, not enough to prevent sleep, but something else was keeping him awake.

At night he was guarded by ReDeads.

They stood, swaying slightly, occasionally shuffling a few paces, at random intervals throughout the room. They moaned every so on, in unison, in that almost predatory way that ReDead's had.

Nope, no sleep for Zeld.

zzz

Link awoke late the next morning. She'd expected to get up with the sun, but the thick trees kept the light from reaching her for hours. When she did wake up, she couldn't even tell what time it was because she couldn't see the sun clearly through the leaves.

And she was still lost.

She was also fairly surprised to be alive.

Luckily the forest, while creepy, was peaceful and cool. Link was relatively certain she was going in the same direction she'd been going last night, and she still had plenty of food and that chip of Gossip Stone, so she wasn't worrying. Too much.

Time passed slowly. She kept marking her path, though it was probably futile, in the hopes that she'd be able to follow her own trail back. She knew she wasn't going to die here. That would just be...too lame.

It was late afternoon when she finally came across another living being, and it wasn't at all what she'd expected.

There was a rustling in the bushes next to the path, and something vaguely humanoid stumbled onto the path. Link stared at the small figure as it walked in front of her, swaying slightly and barely managing to walk in a straight line. There was something oddly familiar about it, despite the fact that it was covered in dirt and twigs.

"Hey," Link said, starting forward. "Hey, don't I know you?"

The figure turned its head toward Link, staring blankly at something that was not there.

Link recognized that androgynous face.

"Hey!" she exclaimed. "You're the king of the Gerudos!"

The king was still staring at nothing. He turned away from her and shuffled off toward the trees.

"No! Wait!" She ran forward and grabbed his arm. The king didn't even react, just stopped moving. "Are you okay?"

The king didn't move.

"Dumb question. Can you hear me at least?"

The king turned his face toward her and blinked slowly.

"Hey!" She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him slightly. "Snap out of it! You'll be okay! Where are we? What happened to the others?"

For the first time the king spoke, but it was in a strange high-pitched sing-song voice that didn't sound at all like she remembered. "All who come into the forest will be lost," he said, eyes still unfocused. "Everybody will become a Stalfos. Everybody...Stalfos."

Link blinked. She looked at the king. She released him.

Then she slapped him so hard across the face that he made a full rotation before crashing to the ground.

"Owwww..." the king moaned, sitting up. "What the hell was that?"

"That was me," Link said flatly. "Slapping some sense into you."

The king stared up at her. "You know, if I wasn't surrounded by crazy violent women everyday, I'd probably be upset by this."

"And if I hadn't just slapped you silly I'd probably be offended by _that_." She held out her hand. "Need help?"

"Thanks." He grabbed her hand and she pulled him to his feet. He swayed, and almost toppled backward.

"Woah!" Link caught him. "Are you okay?"

"I...I don't know." He put a hand to his head. "I...I feel..."

"It's okay," Link said firmly. "I'll get us out of here."

The king blinked at her. "Why are you helping me?"

"Here, put your arm around my shoulders."

He did, but would 't let the subject drop. "Answer the question."

"Because," she said simply, "you need help."

"You're a fool," he replied.

"So I've been told," she said calmly. "I've also been told that it's a sign of a true hero."

The king laughed. "Well, heroes aren't usually hired for their brains."

"What's your name anyway kid?"

"Doran. What's yours?"

"Link."

"_Link_!"

"Yeah, why?"

"Um, no reason."

They walked on, back the way Link had came. They talked on the way, Link trying to make sure Doran didn't lose consciousness.

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen." He sounded tired.

"That's awfully young for a king."

"I've been king my whole life. Before I was born even. Just because I'm a boy."

"So you're a bit like Zeld?"

"The prince you mean? No. Not really. He'll be king _someday_, I've always been king. And at least he didn't grow up as alone as I did..."

"Alone?"

"Do you have any idea what's it's like the be the only one of your kind in your entire _race_? I've always been alone...isolated. My mom tried to keep it that way at first, though she did think it was for the best because of..." He looked up at Link. "How much to you know about Ganon?"

"Just that he was evil and defeated."

"Well back in his day there were these witches. They'd been alive for like four hundred years...though I'm not sure how that's possible. Anyway, they foresaw his birth, his power, and that he'd one day conquer Hyrule. So when he was born they took him away from his mother, killed her probably, and raised him to be the King of Evil. Like one of those self-fulfilling prophecies you hear about."

"Sounds more like Nature vs. Nurture to me."

"How do you mean?"

"The biggest difference between you and Ganon, except for you being prettier, is the way you were raised."

"I like to think it's the fact that I'm mostly sane," he sounded offended.

"Well, yeah, of course, but... You know what I mean..."

"I guess I do." He sighed. "Besides, the real biggest difference is that I'm weak."

"Weak?"

"_Look _at me!" he gestured to himself with his free hand. He was still wearing the puffy pink pants of a Gerudo warrior, though he seemed to have discarded the bikini top somewhere. "I _let_ them do this to me! I went along with that loony plan to kidnap the prince, and even though I stood up for myself in the end...I still went along with it. What kind of king will I be if I can't even keep myself from getting wrapped up in a kidnapping plot?"

"Hey, you're still just a kid. At least you've learned from this, right?"

"Yeah...I guess I have." Doran smiled. "Thanks Link."

"My pleasure."

Link was actually starting to think she knew what she was doing, when they came to a branch in the path that she had never seen before.

She swore softly.

"You're lost aren't you?"

"Shut up Doran. I'll, _we'll_,be fine."

"I didn't say anything."

"Huh? Then who-"

A little blond boy, dressed in green and carrying a violin, stepped out from behind a tree. "Need help?"

Link stared for a moment before answering, "Yes please."

zzz

"Good afternoon," Vaaltos said pleasantly.

Zeld resisted the urge to reply with a curse and stared sullenly at the floor of his cage.

"I've been thinking. Perhaps I was a bit harsh on you?"

Zeld bit back the obvious response.

"So I brought this back." He held up Zeld's crown. "I'm not sure why I took it to begin with. Perhaps I wanted to demean you. Ah well, I don't really need it. Your other ornaments have already been scavenged by those of my servants capable of appreciating how much they're worth. You ought to thank me for retrieving this."

Zeld still said nothing.

"You know, I could toss out a cliched villain line like, 'you will pay for your insolence, boy,' but we both already know you will pay for that. Don't we?"

"You'll never get anything from me," Zeld said softly. "Even if I could help you, I wouldn't."

"You'll forgive me if I don't believe you." He turned and headed for the door, but just before he left, Tor appeared.

Vaaltos smiled. "There you are. Dismiss the Wolfos and keep guard for a while, will you?"

"Of course sir," Tor said, face blank.

"Ignore the prisoner. He's sulking."

"Yes sir."

"Oh, and he can have food now. No point starving him if I have better ways to get what I want."

"Yes sir."

Vaaltos left.

"How are you?" Tor asked immediately.

"I've been better," Zeld answered.

"I- I'm-"

"I know."

zzz

"I have a question," Doran said, still hanging from Link's shoulder.

"Yeah?" Link replied.

"What the hell?"

"I'm not sure myself."

"I can answer that," the little boy, whose name had turned out to be Fado, said. "Assuming I'm understanding the question correctly of course."

"I think it would be hard not to understand it," Link said wryly.

"Well, to make a long story very short, I'm taking you to the Black Rose Blade."

Link stared. "Really? But- but I thought you didn't know where it was?"

"I didn't. I knew it was somewhere in here though, and I knew what kind of power it possesses, so I decided to go and ask the person who _did _know where it is where it is."

"Um, okay. It took a day?"

"No, he told me to go make sure you were worthy of finding the sword."

"So you've been spying on me?"

"Yuh-huh."

"But-"

"You're really very lucky that kid there came along. If he...she? He? Whatever. If that kid there hadn't come along, I might never have found out what a good person you are."

"You were spying on me!"

"Yes."

"I was lost!"

"_Damn _lost."

"Why didn't you help me? And why haven't you help others?"

"Look," Fado snapped. "I don't actually know my way through here any better than anyone else. I know a few set paths and that's _it_. If I go somewhere I've never been before, I'd be as lost, and as dead, as you were back there."

"Then how did you find me?"

"You were on a path I know. It twists quite a bit, and fools even the best trackers, but...ya know...the whole not human thing."

"I...guess that makes sense." She paused. "So who was it that told you where the Black Rose Blade is?"

"The Great Deku Tree, of course."

"O...of course..."

"Here it is." Fado pushed aside some branches and Link and Doran found themselves looking at...

"A clearing," Link said flatly.

"With a rock in it!" Doran added cheerfully.

It was, in fact, a clearing with a rock in it. Granted, it had some of the greenest grass Link had ever seen, and the rock was in the _exact _center of the clearing and ridiculously large...But it was still just a clearing with a rock in it.

"It's under the rock," Fado rolled his eyes.

"Oh. You sure?"

"The Great Deku Tree was."

"Okay then."

Link pushed up her sleeves and approached the rock. It was really quite big, but Link was stronger than she looked.

She placed her hands just below the middle of the rock, braced her feet, and heaved.

The rock shifted slightly. Link heaved again and the rock shifted more. One more huge push, and the rock toppled over.

There was a hole underneath. Link swung her arms around and rubbed her shoulders, then hopped down the hole without a word.

Fado looked at Doran, who was sitting on the grass. "She always like that?"

"Crazy and reckless?" Doran shrugged. "I'm not sure, I just met her like ten minutes ago."

Fado looked at him. "Uh...it was like three hours ago dude. I've been following you, remember?"

Doran rubbed a finger in his ear. "What's that noise?"

"What noise?"

"That...high-pitched buzzing."

"There's no buzzing dude."

"So it's in my head?"

"Yeah."

"That's not good. It is?"

"No. No it's not."

"I don't think I've eaten in days... Izzat good?"

"No. Just...just no."

zzz

It was dark underground, but Link's eyes quickly adjusted. There was enough light coming from the hole that she could see a tunnel up ahead, paved with stone. There were roses carves around the entrance.

"That's subtle," Link muttered. She headed down the tunnel, and was somehow not surprised to see light up ahead.

She entered a room, not perfectly round, but close. The walls were glowing slightly, with a shimmering unstable light not unlike sunlight through leaves. In the middle of the room was a large rock with a flat top, and lying on top of that was a sheathed sword.

Link approached the rock, unable to suppress the thought that this all looked like a rather makeshift job, and lifted the sword off the rock.

It had a nice weight to it, and though the hilt was just a bit too large for her hands, she was used to using swords that were made for men. She gripped it carefully and drew the blade from the sheath.

Bright steel flashed in the shifting light. Black roses bloomed along the edge. The balance was better than anything Link had ever held.

"Woah." Link shifted her grip and grinned. "This will do nicely."

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes from the Author

Back from con! Whoo! Recovering from flu! Not whoo! Anyway, enjoy the chapter. Let's see if any of you actually care about Zeld...


	8. Finally!

Chapter 8. _Finally!_

The sun was rising behind a cloud of sand. Sandstorms were common in the desert, and the soldiers laying siege to the Gerudo Valley were almost becoming used to the sunrise being obscured.

Getting used to the fact that they were laying siege to a bunch of women, who seemed genuinely confused about the armed guard outside their gate, was not so easy.

"They can't _all _be such good actors," a grunt said.

"Actors, liars, same difference," his friend replied. "Everyone knows Gerudos are theives."

"So thieves are automatically liars?"

"Bad is bad."

"Woah," a voice said behind them. "What's going on here?"

The two soldiers, and several of the ones around them, turned.

A young man, barely more than a boy, was standing there. He had the dark coloring of a gerudo, but was bare-chested and therefore probably male. He was dressed in mismatched green clothes, most of which were too small for him, and looked rather tired.

"What do you want, kid?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Well, I originally wanted to go home, but now I kind of want to defend my people. So...what the hell is going on here?"

"The Gerudos kidnapped the prince. We're going to get him back."

"_Some _Gerudos kidnapped the prince, yes. But they didn't bring him to the Valley, and the rest of them didn't know anything about it. So whatever it is you're doing here is pretty pointless."

"How would you know?" a soldier snapped.

"Who are you anyway?" another asked. "One of the Gerudos' man-bitches?"

The boy winced. "Okay, first of all... No, never mind, it's not worth it. Just let me through will you?"

"No way kid, this is a war zone."

"Oh it is not," the boy said, as though chiding a child. "Now I am _telling you_, the prince is _not _in there. He's...I don't know, I was pretty out of it when she explained it to me...but he's not in there! Now are you gonna let me through or am I gonna call for help?"

"And who would help you, huh?"

The boy sighed. Then he put his fingers to his lips and whistled three sharp notes.

A head popped up over the wall and peered toward the boy.

"Holy _crap _it's His Little Majesty!" the guard exclaimed. She disappeared again and there were sounds of hurried activity. Soon the gate opened and a dozen Gerudos, armed to the teeth, emerged.

"Let us pass or we unman the lot of you!" they said in unison.

The Hylian soldiers immediately backed off.

Doran couldn't help but smile. The Gerudos found the effectiveness of that threat highly amusing, since it didn't apply to them. Doran was probably the only person in the world who could see it from both sides.

The Gerudos surrounded their king and began fussing over him in a motherly/sisterly way, clucking over his clothes and wiping his face with handkerchiefs and spit. Doran didn't even bother to fight. He was used to this.

The Gerudos escorted their youngking back through the soldiers and into the fortress. A few moments after the gates snapped shut the king appeared at the top of the wall, wearing his crown.

"There's been a misunderstanding," he called down. "Send your leader forward and we can talk this out."

"Why should we talk to you?" someone shouted back.

"Why not?" the king replied.

The man had no answer for that.

"I'm not kidding you know. This is all a mistake. I'm not sure what really happened, but I want to help clear this up."

The captain stepped forward. "I'll hear you out," he said. "But no tricks."

The king smiled. "Do you really think I could take you?"

The captain thought about it. "Good point."

zzz

It was the middle of the morning, and the potion shop was empty. Mara tapped her fingernails on the counter and stared blankly at the door. No one would be arriving for hours. No one ever did.

Then, much to her surprise, the door opened and a blonde head popped in.

"Good morning," Link called cheerfully.

Mara looked up. She blinked. "It's you! How are you?"

"Good, good," Link swung her pack on the counter and pulled a piece of paper out of it. "I wrote a note to my parents so you can send it to them along with your bill."

Mara scanned the letter. "Are you sure you want to address your mother this way?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course. Otherwise I wouldn't sound like me."

"Er, right."

"By the way," Link swung her pack on her back, "where does Kobold work?"

Mara scratched her head thoughtfully. "I think he teaches. Yeah, that's it, he teaches self-defense and magic after the kids get out of normal school. He should still be home now."

"Thanks. I just need to say goodbye."

"You going somewhere?"

"Yeah. I am."

Link trekked back to Kobold's house. She was a little annoyed by the fact that she had to keep coming back here, much as she liked Kobold. It all felt a little too repetitive.

Link knocked on the door. It was actually later then the last time she'd visited, so it should be all right.

Kobold answered almost immediately. "Link!" he exclaimed, grinning. "You're okay! I mean, hi! I mean, oh come in."

Link smiled. He looked like he wanted to hug her, but was holding himself back, so as soon as the door was shut behind them she threw her arms around his chest to take the choice away from him. Kobold was startled at first, naturally, but he hugged her back.

Amoment later Kobold held her at arm's length and smiled down at her. "I take that to mean it worked?"

"Hell yeah it worked!" she grinned. "I found the sword, I found the pretty king, I got lost but it was okay because it worked!"

"Well, you're alive and back so I'm going to ignore the lost bit." He couldn't seem to stop smiling. Despite the hero business, Link was too much a woman not to recognize the brotherly love in his eyes.

"Wanna see it?" she asked, still grinning.

"Do I ever! Here," he led her into the kitchen and cleared a space on the table.

Link unbuckled the sheath from across her chest and laid it on the table. Slowly, savoring the moment, she drew the sword.

_Shing!_

"Ooh..." Kobold sighed softly. "Fairy-made. It's beautiful."

"Isn't it just?" Link squealed. "Roses aren't usually my thing, but...wow."

"Yeah..." Kobold agreed.

They were both silent for a moment, staring at the sword. Finally, Kobold pulled a chair out and sat down, gesturing for Link to do the same. When she was seated, he clasped his hands in front of him and stared at them.

"Link...you're going now, aren't you?"

"To get Zeld? Of course. I'm not one hundred percent how to get there...but I'm going."

"You...you remember once you said if I ever needed your help I could ask?"

"Of _course _Kobold." She resisted the urge to grab his hand. "After everything you've done for me, I'd do _anything _for you."

"It's not big...but..."

"What ever it is, I'll do it," she sad firmly.

Kobold smiled wryly. "It's not the task itself that I'm worried about. It's...well... There's someone I want you to keep an eye out for."

"Someone?"

"The...the person I mentioned before..." he was fidgeting with his ring again. "The one who disappeared in the Lost Woods. He knew it was dangerous, he _knew_, and he promised me he would be back in a few days...but..."

Link blinked. She processed this new bit of information as quickly as she could. "So, um, you want me to look for this...guy?"

"Yes." Kobold was still staring at his hands.

"How will I know him?"

"He's a Sheikah. Tall, very handsome, silverish hair that he likes to wear long. He wears glasses, though he prefers to wear dark-tinted ones so that they look like they're for style rather than necessity. Altough...it's been a few years...Idon't know if any one that's true any more...The most important thing is...he'll have a ring like this one." Kobold held out his left hand, and Link noticed for the first time that there were two Ancient Hylian symbols carved into the band on his finger. "Or at least he did... And if he doesn't have it now...then I don't want to see him."

"I think I understand," Link said softly.

"Do you?" He smiled that sad smile again, but still wasn't looking at her. "Maybe. I- I know he's still alive, because of the rings. We're...connected through them. So I know he's alive...but I know he's not in Hyrule. The thing is...he could only have lost the ring if he _wanted _to lose it, that's part of the spell. So..."

"I'll keep my eyes open Kobold."

He smiled, and it was a real smile this time. "Thank you."

zzz

Tor pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Sometimes it was hard to believe it had been almost five years since he had come into Lord Vaaltos' service. It was once easy to pretend it was all just a nightmare, that soon he would be back to the life he'd left behind. But then the prince, Zeld, had come and Tor had talked with him, gotten to know him, and he couldn't pretend any more.

He couldn't go on like this...

Someone rapped on his door. "The Masterwants you on guard duty for the blond," a gruff voice said. It was one of Vaaltos' few human servants.

Reluctantly, Tor got up and put on his uniform. The black wind was flowing past his window almost too fast for the human eye to follow. That meant Lord Vaaltos was agitated. Tor held back a sigh.He'd guarded prisoners before, but he'd never spoken to them. It was a mistake, he now knew. But he couldn't go back now. He would continute serving Vaaltos, because there was nothing else he could do, but he wouldn't hurt Zeld.

Any more than he had to.

When he got down to the main hall where Zeld was caged he dismissed the other guard and settled down with a deck of cards.

"How's it hanging your highness?" he asked.

"Not funny," Zeld glared down at him, the wind cage swinging slightly.

"Sorry."

There was silence for a moment.

"Hey Tor?" Zeld asked thoughtfully.

"Yes your highness?"

"I told you to call me Zeld."

"Sorry. Zeld."

"Is it true that ReDeads are considered a race here?"

Tor blinked at that, then laughed. "Did Lord Vaaltos tell you that? It's one of his stranger affectations. ReDeads aren't a race, any more then you could consider the black wind a race, but because he controls them and because he likes to intimidate the townsfolk he insists on people calling them a race. Basically that means no one's allowed to kill them, the same way you can't just kill another person."

"I can't believe Vaaltos would do something like that! ReDeads are dangerous!"

"But Lord Vaaltos controls them completely. I'm not sure how he does it, I've been trying to unravel his magic for years, but they never do anything or attack anyone that _he_ doesn't want them to."

"Do the townspeople know that?"

"Everyone does. I'm not sure how long Lord Vaaltos has ruled this town, but he first came here long before I started working for him, and he has everyone so cowed that it must have been _years_."

Zeld's expression darkened. "This shouldn't go on."

"No...but..." Tor fiddled with something around his neck. "You should know," he said quietly after a moment. "Lord Vaaltos is going to come for you later today. You should do what ever you have to do to prepare yourself."

"Yeah...yeah okay."

zzz

"You'll be fine here for awhile," Link said to 17th. "This is a nice stable and I'm paying them plenty to take care of you, so you should-"

_Link_?

"Zeld?"

_Can you talk_?

"Yeah, sure." The stable was empty except for horses. And one cow for some reason. "What's up? Why haven't you contacted me?"

_I was...tired_.

"Tired?"

_Er, yeah._

"Right."

_I don't want to talk about it._

"Be that way."

_Link_...

"Right, sorry. You're entitled to your secrets too."

_Damn straight. Now where are you_?

"Stable. Leaving my horse behind. Gonna come and get you!"

_You found a way? Way to go! But how_?

Link grinned with pride. "It's called the Black Rose Blade."

_Blade? A sword_?

"Yuh-huh. A sword once wielded by the hero of time himself."

_Dude_._ That's awesome_!

"Yeah, isn't it?" Link grinned.

_But how will that help? Nothing against swords, swords rock, but I don't get it._

"I didn't at first either, but apparently this sword can...uh...cut...through...worlds?"

_You have no idea do you_?

"I'll burn that bridge when I come to it."

_I think you mean "cross that bridge."_

"I said what I said."

zzz

_Water_?

"Check."

_Food_?

"Check."

_Shelter_?

"Check."

_Belongings secured_?

"Check."

_Got my heart_?

She laid a hand on her chest. "Big check. Got mine?"

Link couldn't see him, but she knew he was making the same gesture. _Safe and sound_, he said.

"I'm ready to go."

_Good luck_.

Link looked out at the seemingly endless expanse of sand, brush, and scorching sun that was the western desert. "I think I'll need it."

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes from the Author

Yes! I have been waiting _so long_ to reveal Kobold's past! Perceptive readers will have already figured something out...heh. I _love_ Kobold. (_cough)_

I also finally got Link on the path to rescue Zeld. And sent Doran home. And got to talk some about Tor. Who I also love. (_cough)_ Wow, I'm giving _way_ too much away here. Bad author, bad!


	9. Oh Hell

Chapter 9. Oh Hell

Link had heard stories about the Gerudo Desert, though she'd never been there herself, and this place was nothing like that. There were far too many plants for one thing, though they were mostly tumbleweeds or other plants of the short-and-prickley variety. The few cacti that she saw were also short and brown, and not particularly scary-looking. Link knew that cacti contained water, but she also knew that some of the short ones had hallucinogenic properties. She didn't particularly want to be distracted from her goal by flying critters no one else could see.

Even though it wasn't as daunting as she'd feared, the desert was still huge, and the portal was all the way at the other side. Zeld had been fairly certain Vaaltos had not closed the portal behind him, and even if he had Kobold thought the fabric of reality would be weaker where the portal had been.

Zeld's voice had disappeared rather suddenly from her mind, but she tried not to worry. He couldn't talk to her and other people at the same time, and he didn't want other people to know he was talking to her, so it made sense that he would have to leave suddenly from time to time.

But she couldn't seem to stop thinking about him. And that "got my heart" thing. That had come out of nowhere, and before she even knew it she had said yes. It made her wonder, could there be more there? More than just Hero and Prince?

She had to admit, the idea was far from unpleasant.

Time passed...

zzz

Zeld gritted his teeth and turned his face away. Vaaltos placed the flat of a black knife against Zeld's cheek and turned his head so that he could look the prince in the eyes.

"Trying to escape?" Vaaltos asked with a cold smile. "Silly boy, you're trapped. You're not going anywhere..."

zzz

It was lonely, crossing the desert. Link whistled, sang, peeled off clothing, and found as many anagrams for "bored" as she could. But when the sun sunk beneath the still-distant mountain range and the desert grew cold and dark...she got nervous. Real nervous.

Lonely is one thing when you're surrounded by heat and light. It's something very different when it's gone, and all you've got are the sounds of unidentified animals snuffling around your makeshift shelter.

z

It's also very different when you're chained to a table, stripped to the waist, and have no idea when a sadistic wizard will be returning to fill your veins with poisoned fire...or at least that's what the last spell had _felt _like.

Zeld closed his eyes and sent his mind away...

z

Link shivered under her bedroll, more from fear than cold. There wasn't even a moon out. Link had never been afraid of the dark, but she was all alone under the open sky in a place she hadn't even known _existed _a few days ago.

And then, suddenly, she felt warm...

z

Back in Termina, deep in what had once been the Clock Tower, Zeld smiled and drifted off to sleep...

zzz

It took Link three days to cross the desert, even after she gave up on getting a full eight hours of sleep every night. Zeld didn't contact her once during all that time, and she was _really _worried. She had a dream the second night. Zeld was screaming, and some freaky dude in black was standing over him and smiling. It looked like a torture scene from a story, but without the strange devices. The only thing in the room besides the two men was the rough wooden table Zeld was lying on, and the chains that kept him on it.

The dream had caused her to wake up in a cold sweat. Up until that moment she'd always thought "cold sweat" was just a figure of speech.

For some reason, the thought of Zeld being hurt both terrified and enraged her at the same time.

And filled her with the urge to shout "Mine!"

Though that one was probably just the exhaustion talking.

Finally, late in the afternoon of the third day, she reached the edge of the desert. "Now what?" Link murmured. There was grass, and foothills, and a tree. And that was it. Zeld had said they'd traveled straight across the desert, with Death Mountain behind them the whole time. Unfortunately that didn't narrow down the area much.

And then, much to Link's surprise, she felt a _tug_. She spun around in surprise and saw no one there. And then there was a _push_.

Quickly, Link shrugged off her pack and pulled the still-sheathed Black Rose Blade from where she's stashed it. Sure enough, it tugged her to the left. Out of sheer curiosity, Link pulled it out.

She gasped.

It was ruined.

zzz

Zeld was chained to a wall when he awoke. The last thing he remembered before he'd passed out, was that bastard Vaaltos saying something about his "dignity."

Perhaps that was why he was once again shirtless.

The wall was stone, and cold, and he was chained with his face against it, his hands above his head, and his feet barely touching the ground. It was extremely uncomfortable, but somehow he doubted this was all that was going to happen to him.

He leaned his forehead against the wall and tried to enjoy this reprieve. Maybe he could work up enough energy to say hi to Link.

A door opened behind him. He couldn't turn enough to see, but from the light he guessed someone was standing in the doorway.

"Do what you want," Zeld said, surprised at the strength in his own voice. "I don't even care anymore. I honestly don't know where the Triforce is, and even if I did I wouldn't succumb to the dark side so easily."

"You're making jokes," a familiar, though sad voice said from behind him. "I'm glad."

"Tor?" Zeld tried to twist around to see. "Is that you?"

"Um, yeah..."

"What's going on?"

"I... Your highness I..."

"I told you to call me Zeld."

"I can't your highness. I just can't... I don't deserve it..."

"What are you talking about?"

"I- Your highness, I need you to do something... This will seem strange but... Please believe me when I say there is a very good reason!"

"What do you need me to do?"

"It's...well... Please...ask me to sleep with you."

"_What_!"

zzz

The Blade wasn't actually ruined, much to Link's relief. The black roses had...spread somehow. It looked almost like they'd _grown_. At first glance, what with all the black, it had looked like the blade was acid-scarred or something.

Link tried pointing the Blade in the direction it had been tugging her, and right before her eyes more roses bloomed. She pulled it away and the roses wilted and disappeared.

"Neat!"

zzz

"I don't want to!" Tor exclaimed quickly. "But- but that's why you have to ask me!"

"You're making no sense at all."

"I...it's...Vaaltos ordered me to...to..._rape _you."

Zeld was silent for a long moment.

"_What_?" he said finally.

"You heard me," Tor sounded miserable. "He said that pain wasn't doing anything...so maybe a combination of pain and _shame _would get you to talk... He said he wanted to take away from you the last thing you had left...your dignity. And he ordered me to do it because...well...he found out a few years back that I'm...I like men."

"That bastard."

"Yes."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Are we going to get this over with?"

"No! No your highness! I would never- I couldn't- I won't-"

"What about your oath?"

"_Screw _the oath! It's not worth it!"

"What will Vaaltos do to you if he finds out?"

"How can you think of what will happen to _me _when you know what I'll have to do to _you _to obey him?" Tor exclaimed bitterly.

"I don't know. I just know what Vaaltos is capable of, and don't want it to happen to anyone else."

"You're a good person, your highness."

"Yeah...I guess... So are we going to get this over with or what?"

"No! I _can't_! That's why you need to ask me!"

"Uh, the whole not making sense thing again."

"Remember how I said there are loopholes in the oath? I swore that I would obey Vaaltos' orders _exactly_. That means to the letter. He ordered me to rape you. If you ask me to sleep with you, it means you're willing, and that makes it not rape!"

"That actually makes a weird desperate kind of sense."

"That _was _the idea."

"Hey Tor?"

"Yeah?"

Zeld smiled wryly. "Do me baby."

And then, from sheer relief and stress, they both started laughing their heads off.

zzz

The Blade was almost completely black from all the roses on it. There was a strange shimmering in the air in front of Link, and something was glinting on the ground.The shimmering had to be the portal, but what was on the ground? Maybe something Zeld had dropped?

Linkstooped and picked it up. She blinked.

It was small and gold, but didn't seem to be made of gold. In fact, it didn't seem to be made of anything Link had ever seen before at all. It had one smooth edge, and the rest of it looked uneven, as though it had once been part of something larger that had shattered. She scanned the ground around where she'd found it, but there were no other pieces.

Link stared at the object in her hand. She'd never seen anything like it before, but something about it was resonating in her mind...

"Oh no..." she said. "Oh _hell _no. This is _not _a piece of the Triforce of Wisdom!"

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes From the Author

Remember in Wind Waker how Tetra had a piece of the Triforce of Wisdom that she'd gotten from her mother? And Ganondorf had the rest? Ever wonder how it got broken?


	10. Infiltration

Chapter 10. Infiltration.

"What do I do what do I do what do I do?" Link chanted in a panic. "Oh this is bad, this is so so _bad_!"

_Link_?

"Zeld?"

_You feel close, are you near the portal_?

"Oh _Goddess _I'm glad to hear from you Zeld! You will not _believe _what I think I just found!"

_Ah crap, it's a piece of the Triforce isn't it?_

"Well, yes, but how did you know? And why is it in pieces?"

_Look, I know I didn't mention this before, but...I was the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom_.

"You- Wait, 'was?'"

_Yeah. I'm not anymore. See, the Triforce, and all of its parts, cannot be removed from Hyrule. Ever. It's happened before, you know the story. When the Hero of Time left Hyrule the Triforce of Courage that he bore broke into pieces and scattered across the land. The same thing has just happened with the Triforce of Wisdom, but it wasn't by choice_.

"So what are you going to do?"

_What **can **I do? I'm actually kind of glad it happened. Now that bastard Vaaltos can't get it from me, and I honestly don't know where it is so I can't tell him_.

"Why would you tell him anything?"

_I hate to say it...but it's been pretty hard not to._

"What do you mean? Why would you want to tell that bastard anything?"

_Link..._ He stopped. _No, never mind. Talk to you later_.

"Wait! Zeld?"

But he was already gone.

zzz

Zeld was back in that stupid black wind cage. He had his clothes back, and his crown, probably thanks to Tor, but was once again alone. Except for the ReDeads beneath him.

This sucked. This beyond sucked. As if the _torture _wasn't bad enough, Vaaltos had to leave him alone with those creepy walking corpses for hours.

But somehow all the stuff he did to the other people seemed worse. Terrifying the townspeople, setting ReDeads loose, forcing Tor to do things he clearly didn't want to do, even asking him to _rape _someone just because he was gay... It wasn't right.

Although, why would it be? Vaaltos was evil, his wardrobe made that clear, of _course _he would do crazy things like torment his own servants. Of course...

Someone had to do something.

But Zeld didn't know if he had the strength.

He leaned back and closed his eyes...

zzz

It was getting on toward evening, so Link decided the smart thing to do would be to head for a tavern. Not only did she need a place to sleep, but if there was a bar she could get some information. A bath and a hairbrush and she could get a _lot _of information.

Not only that, but she wanted to get away from the graveyard and indoors _fast_. She didn't know what caused the moon to look like a terrifying glaring face, but she didn't want to look at it anymore.

The town was quite large, but there didn't seem to be many people outside. The reason for that, of course, was obvious. There was a giant building in the middle of town that was almost completely covered in black wind, swirling around it like a giant tornado.

Just like the whirlwind that had taken Zeld.

Link gritted her teeth and tried to look normal as she asked for directions to the nearest inn.

zzz

"Now, I'm not going to do this _for_ you," Link said, smiling, "but I will explain it just once more. For every number with a three in it or multiple of three, you say 'zooboo.' For every number with a seven in it or multiple of seven, you say 'squirvice.' Now you try."

"One," the first guy said.

"Two," the second guy said.

"Zooboo?" the third guy said.

"Very good!" Link congratulated them. "Now everyone takes a shot." There were five men, all in their early twenties, sitting at the table with her. Dutifully, they all took a gulp of their ale. Link quickly went around the table and topped off their mugs.

None of the men had yet noticed that the girl they knew only as "hot blonde" was not drinking.

When they'd gotten up into the hundreds every one of the men was drunk off his ass. And more than willing to talk.

By the time Link got to her room that night, she knew more about Vaaltos' grip on the town than even Tor.

_That was very cool_.

Link blinked. "Zeld? You sound so close."

_Naturally. That's because I am. How did you **do **that_?

"Do what?"

_That thing with those guys in the tavern! How did you get them to do all that_? _The drinking and the talking and everything_?

"Are you kidding?" she laughed. "I'm a girl, duh." She struck a pose, though she knew he couldn't see it. "Guys will do almost anything for a nice ass and a pair of C-cups."

_Ooh, you have C-cups_?

"None of your business," she said primly.

Zeld laughed mentally.

"Were you listening the whole time?"

_Not the whole time, no. I left somewhere in the thirties, and came back just as that big guy finished going on about somebody named "Jenn."_

"Heh, yeah, you should have heard that story. It was priceless."

_So I understand the point of getting them drunk, but why did you make them say those funny words_?

"Because I _could_!" Link sounded decidedly bubbly.

_Wha_?

"When I can make a guy say 'sqirvice' I know he is completely under my control."

_You're kind of evil, you know that_?

"You know it turns you on," Link grinned.

_I'm going to choose not to answer that_.

"Good man."

_So, uh, any good info_? Zeld asked after a moment.

"Yes, actually. I think I have the beginnings of a plan now."

_Think? Beginnings_?

"I'll admit it's not perfect, but by tomorrow I should have all the details hammered out."

_Should_?

"Have faith."

_Sometimes I think it's all we've got_.

"I've got you and you've got me. What more do we need?"

_Thanks Link_..._ Listen, I- I want you to know how much_..._I_...

"You can tel me later Zeld."

_But what if_-

"There is no what if! I _will _rescue you, you _will _be fine, and you _will _tell me later!"

_You're right. Of course, you're right. Failure is not an option_.

"It's not even a _possibility_!"

_Right_!

"Now shoo so I can think."

_Yes dear_.

zzz

"Now put the eight on that nine," Zeld said.

"This one?" Tor's hand hovered over a card.

"No, the other one."

"Kay."

"Now go through the deck. Stop! Put that seven on the eight."

Playing solitaire this way was a little slow, but better than nothing. Neither of the two men knew if there was any such thing as team solitaire, it seemed like a contradiction in terms, but they did their best.

It was late morning, a full two days after Zeld's conversation with Link. He'd tried to contact her once since then, and she'd told him to stop. She said she had a plan.

She'd been only telling half the truth.

A man popped his head into the hall.He was wearing black livery identical to Tor's and had the look of someone who hadn't slept much in the last of couple years. "Better stash the evidence Tor," he said. "The Master wants you."

Tor winced. Neither he nor Zeld had been bothered much by Vaaltos the last couple days, but Tor suspected, and Zeld feared, that it was because the Wizard of the Black Wind was trying to come up with a new, more horrible, torture for the prince.

"I'll take over," the man said.

"Kay." Reluctantly, Tor got up and left the room.

The new man settled down at the little table and looked at the cards. "So were you playing or was Tor?"

Zeld said nothing.

"Whatever." The man started playing the game.

"Excuse me?" a soft female voice said from just outside the room. The man looked up. Zeld couldn't see who was speaking from his cage, but the man looked up and seemed pleasantly surprised.

"Well hello there," he said. "Are you new around here?"

"Yes. Lord Vaaltos has hired me to do some embroidery. He wants to go over some of my designs with those of you who will have to wear them."

"So he wants me?" the man asked. The girl outside the room must have nodded. "But...I'm on guard duty."

"I know I'm new here, but I don't think Lord Vaaltos is the kind of guy you should argue with."

"Good point," the man grimaced. "Does he need you for this meeting?"

"No."

"Then...damn I hate to ask, but can you keep an eye on the prisoner?"

"I- I suppose."

"Thanks doll." The man got up and left, and as soon as he was gone an extremely pretty girl in a black dress entered.

Zeld grabbed the bars of his cage and stared down at the most wonderful thing he'd seen in longer than he could remember.

"Hi Zeld," Link smiled up at him. "Is black my color or is black my color?"

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes from theAuthor

How to Play BatNeko's Drinking Game (Yes, I made this up myself)

The rules are simple. You need more than three people to play, otherwise the counting doesn't work so good. Basically, you sit in a cricle and count off, saying your choice of funny word for every number that's a multiple of three or has a three in it, and another funny word for every number that has a seven in it, or is a multiple of seven. You can use other numbers of course, but those are good because three is easy to keep track of, and seven isn't. Every time someone says one of the funny words, you take a shot. Every time someone messes up, says a word when they shouldn't or says a number when they should say a funny word, you take a shot and the person who got it wrong chugs the whole bottle (or takes three shots if you don't have a bottle or something). This WILL get you drunk very quickly, especially since you mess up more and more as it goes on. The thirties are a killer.

Like all drinking games though, this gets about ten times more fun when you replace the alcohol with energy drinks (I recommend Bawls because then you can make Bawls jokes. Bawls jokes get funnier and funnier the more Bawls you drink.) or with anything caffeinated, like my personal favorite soft drink, Jolt Cola! ("Two times the sugar and twice the caffeine!" Seriously. That's their slogan. Sing it with me.)

By now you're probaly thinking "Oh, so _that's_ how she thinks this crazy shit up," and nodding knowingly at each other. Well it's not true. I don't drink or use drugs or anything. I choose not to. My memory is bad enough as it is.

Speaking of my crap memory, I made a mistake in the author's notes last time. I haven't played Wind Waker in a while and for some reason I thought Ganondorf had the other pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. D'oh! I really don't know why I got that so mixed up. The King had them, duh. Sorry.

Er, one last thing. I'm starting my sophomore year of college on Monday (and my birthday is tomorrow. Review the birthday girl!) and I don't know how it'll effect updates. Cross your fingers!


	11. On Getting Through the Work Day

Chapter 11. On Getting Through the Work Day

"What the _hell _are you doing here?" Zeld hissed.

Link kept right on smiling. "I got a job."

"But _why_?"

"I got a plan."

"You're insane!"

Link cocked her head as she looked up at him. For a moment Zeld was sharply reminded of just how pretty she was. Somehow she looked even better than the last time he'd seen her. Her plain black dress was not especially flattering, and her hair could stand to be brushed, but he had never seen a more beautiful woman in his life.

"You look terrible, you know that?" she said flatly.

"I do?" Zeld's hand flew to his hair nervously. "Hey...wait a minute... Stop trying to distract me!"

Link laughed. "I'm a little disappointed at how easy that was."

"I... Shut up."

"You do look terrible though. You haven't been sleeping?"

"What do you think?" Zeld snapped.

"Sorry..."

Zeld looked down at her. She looked hurt. "No, I'm sorry," he said. "I...I'm really glad to see you, really. I'm just...worried. After all that's happened to me...the last thing I want is for you to get hurt."

"I'll be fine. Anyway, this is just a reconnaissance mission."

"Reconnaissance?"

"Sure. Get in, look around, figure out a way to get you out."

"You could have asked me!"

"You're a prisoner. I didn't think you'd have seen much of this place."

"Well...that's true..." He sighed. "About all I've seen is this room and the torture chamber. He seriously calls it that."

"Torture chamber!" Link exclaimed.

"Oops."

"That bastard's been _torturing _you?"

"A little..."

"A _little_!"

"None since the last time we talked."

"How much before?"

"Like twice a day for three or four days. It's kind of a blur."

"Great, now I have to kill him."

"Link-"

"I'm serious!" She certainly looked it. "That bastard is going to die!"

"Wow, and you don't even know about the rape thing."

"_WHAT_!"

zzz

"So you definately want the swirl pattern on _all _the cuffs?"

"Yes," Vaaltos said. "Will it take you much time?"

"That depends. It will take me just three days if I work non-stop. But embroidering my fingers to the bone isn't something I look forward to."

"Understandable. Shall I hire you for a week then?"

"That sounds good."

"Excellent. See you tomorrow, bright and early."

"Yes sir." Link smiled warmly. As soon as she was out in the hall the smile dropped from her face and it was all she could do to keep from punching the wall.

That bastard. That _bastard_! How could he act so normal and businesslike after what he'd done? Link knew she had to kill him...

But she didn't know how.

That was the problem with plans. When you finished Phase 1, you kind of needed to have Phase 2 ready...

zzz

"My chambers are on the top floor, though of course you won't need to go there."

"Of course," Link agreed, relieved (and just a little bit insulted) that he wasn't going to hit on her.

"Down this hall are the human guards' barracks," Vaaltos gestured expansively with one black-clad arm.

It was a short hallway. "Do you employ many humans?" Link asked.

"Mostly Stalfos," he admitted. "Some Wolfos, got a couple of Darknuts, plenty of Redeads... mostly Stalfos. Really there are only five or six humans working for me, depending on whether or not you count that Sheikah."

Link nodded, face carefully blank.

"Down that way are the rooms I devote to my library, and a couple of empty rooms. Down here," Vaaltos led her down a twisting staircase, "there's the main hall, where I've got a prisoner. Also a dining area that never gets used, and some more empty rooms."

"This place is really big," Link said, genuinely appreciative. "In fact...is it bigger inside than outside?"

"No, but good eyes. The black wind is so close to the outside of the tower that it makes it look smaller than it is. You know, like how black is slimming?"

"I wouldn't have though that would apply to buildings."

"You learn something new every day," he shrugged.

"Yeah..." Today, for example, Link had learned that crazy people can seem perfectly normal when talking about business.

"In the basement I've got my inner sanctum and torture chambers."

And then they go and say things like that. "You don't really care if anyone knows you're evil, do you?" Link said.

Vaaltos stopped, turned, and stared at her oddly. "What...did you just say?"

"Well, not that I care really, but the torture chambers and the prisoner hanging from the ceiling and the monochromatic wardrobe..."

"Monochromatic wardrobe," Vaaltos repeated. "Tell me, do all teenagers speak alike?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Good to know," he sighed. "Down this way is the kitchen, which also doesn't get used much. Oh, and uh for the record, if you enter my inner sanctum I _will _kill you."

"Duly noted."

zzz

"Have you seen the new girl?" Tor asked.

Zeld considered how to answer. "Yeah...I've seen her..."

"Cute huh?"

"I thought you weren't into girls."

"I didn't mean _that _kind of cute. She reminds me of the little sister of a...friend of mine."

Zeld leaned forward against the bars and grinned down at Tor. "Significant pause friend?"

"Nothing significant about that pause," he said primly.

"Uh-huh," Zeld kept grinning.

"Look..." Tor started fiddling with his collar. "I just made myself sad, so if you could lay off I'd appreciate it."

"Sorry." Zeld leaned back. "If it's any consolation, I know some of what you're feeling."

"Really," Tor said, disbelieving. "You know what it's like to be separated from the one person you never wanted to be separated from for five years?"

"Well, no. But I know what it's like to be in l-"

"Zeld!" Link skidded into the room, eyes wide and frantic. She did a slight double-take at the sight of Tor, but ignored him and ran past him to just under Zeld's cage.

"_IjustfoundoutthatbastardVaaltoshasaninnersanctumythingandhesaidhe'dkillmeifIwentintheresoIfigureit'simportant_!"

Both Zeld and Tor stared at her as she panted for breath. "You know how most people put spaces in between their words?" Zeld said. "You should try that some time."

Link glared at him.

"How did you do that?" Tor asked from behind her.

Link whirled around, and blinked as she saw him. She seemed to have forgotten he was there. "Do what?" she asked after a moment.

"When you came in here, you sort of..._skidded _on the floor. How did you do that?"

"Polished floors and second-hand shoes," Link lifted her skirts and raised a foot so they could see. "These things have the traction of a greased pig in an oil slick."

Tor blinked at her. "Have you been getting much sleep lately?"

"Hell fucking no!" she raised her arms and shouted it triumphantly.

Tor blinked again. Then he frowned. "Are you _drunk_?"

"I'm not sober!" she grinned.

Zeld made a sound that was somewhere between a sigh and a moan and leaned his head against the bars. "Don't tell me...let me guess... It was the only way you thought you could make it through the day?"

"Sumpin' like that, yeah."

"Think you could sneak me in some vodka or something?"

"Yeah, probably."

Tor sighed. "Y'all're _freaks_." They grinned at him. "Stop being proud of it. Stop it!"

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes from the Author

Link has the same trouble with plans that I do. Heh. And I've been waiting to use that last line of Tor's for a while now.


	12. Ridiculum Sum, Ergo Sum

Chapter 12. Ridiculum Sum, Ergo Sum

"Sit here," Tor ordered, pushing her down into the seat at the card table. "Don't move, I'll be right back."

Link watched him go, a bemused expression on her face, and as soon as he was gone she turned to Zeld. "Who is that guy?" she asked.

"His name is Tor, he's under oath to work for that bastard Vaaltos."

"He's cute."

"He's gay."

"He's too old for me."

"Damn straight."

Link grinned up at him.

"You're completely hammered aren't you?" Zeld frowned.

"Please," she sniffed. "A _lady _does not get _hammered_. I am just a little _tipsy_."

"Uh-huh."

"Anyway, you're jealous."

"I...shut up."

Link looked back at the doorway. "That guy...I feel like there's something about him I should remember..."

"Tor? Like what?"

"I don't know, but I should. I think." She looked back up at Zeld. "You're in a _birdcage_," she grinned.

"_How _did you manage to talk to Vaaltos like this?"

She shrugged and made a noise that sounded like saying "I don't know" without opening her mouth.

"I bet he thinks you're a total airhead now."

"Yeah, probably."

"Don't you care?"

"Maybe later."

Zeld groaned just as Tor walked back through the door, a large mug in each hand. He set one down in front of Link and kept the other, sitting kitty-corner from her.

"Drink up," he ordered.

Link looked dubiously at the mug's contents. "What is it?"

"Coffee. Strong stuff. Drink all of it."

"But I don't _like _coffee."

"Too bad. We need to sober you up."

"But-"

"Drink!"

Link picked up the mug and took a large swallow. "Bleagh!"

"I told you it was strong." Tor sipped his coffee calmly. "Of course, if you hadn't gone and gotten _drunk _you could have had cream and sugar."

"I'm not drunk, I'm tipsy."

"Don't argue semantics with me girlie, especially not while under the influence."

Link giggled. "Under the influence."

"Drink!"

Link drank.

Fifteen minutes later Link had a headache, but was thinking more clearly.

"Okay, maybe that wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done," she sighed.

"Ya think!" Zeld shouted.

"But at least nothing bad came of it. If that bastard Vaaltos thinks I'm a ditz, more's the better."

"Crazy bimbo!"

Both Link and Tor had been ignoring Zeld for a good five minutes now.

"So why don't you say what you said before, slower this time?" Tor suggested.

"Spaces dammit! Spaces between words!"

"Oh, right," Link thought back. "I think it was something like: I just found out that bastard Vaaltos has an inner sanctum thing and he said he'd kill me if I went in there so it must be important. That sound right?"

"Yeah! With spaces!"

"About right," Tor said. "I know what you're talking about though. Downstairs, right below this room actually. It seems pretty big, from how much space it takes up, but I get much worse than death if I ever go in there."

"That bastard Vaaltos!"

"Yikes," Link said. "I'm glad I'm only working for him to gather information."

"Which brings me to the question I've been putting off." Tor leaned on the table and looked at her seriously. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"She's the crazy bimbo who's trying to rescue me!"

"My name is Link. I'm the crazy bimbo who's trying to rescue Zeld."

"Ah." Tor drained the dregs of his coffee and set the mug down. "WHAT?"

"You heard me!"

"You heard me too." Link folded her hands and stared down at them. "I couldn't stop that bastard Vaaltos from kidnapping Zeld, so I've got to save him."

Tor took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "So you're telling me...that just because you couldn't stop _black wind_...you're going to risk your life to save this idiot?"

"Hey!"

"Essentially, yes," Link agreed.

"You _are _a crazy bimbo."

"So I've been told."

Tor put his glasses back on and started to say something, but was interrupted by another one of the human guards. He was young, probably in his mid-twenties, and reasonably good-looking. He wore the same black-on-black livery as Tor, but had a bag strapped across his back with something large and bulky inside it.

"Did you make that insanity coffee of yours again?" he asked.

"It's not _insanity _coffee," Tor rolled his eyes. "And yes, yes I did."

"Well warn a guy next time. I won't be able to sleep for a week."

"It'll do that to ya."

The guy sat down across from Link and grinned at her. "He didn't trick you into drinking it, did he?"

"Not...tricked...exactly..."

He cocked his head. "Aren't you the seamstress?"

"Embroiderer, actually."

"The boss needs _more _embroidery?"

"A lot of it's for you...I'm pretty sure he told you that."

"He did," Tor said. "Denko here just has the same strategy for dealing with Lord Vaaltos as you do."

Link looked at Denko.Denko looked back. "Are you drunk?" she asked.

"Not after Tor's insanity coffee."

"Ah."

Denko pulled the bag off his back, and it was revealed to be nothing more than a large square of black fabric. He pulled a knife from his boot, and unwrapped the fabric. Inside was a what looked like a huge mask.

"Woah," Link leaned forward and looked at it. "That's cool. Did you carve it?"

"Yup," Denko grinned, picking it up and starting to shave off little slivers of wood. "Been a hobby of mine for years. My family has a carpentry business, but I always liked the little details better than putting the wood together. And working for Lord Vaaltos gives me a lot of time to kill." He shrugged. "There's a bright side even to slavery."

Tor hissed at him. "Keep it down! Are you crazy?"

"I blame your coffee."

Link leaned over to get a better view of the mask. "It's really good, but it's enormous!"

"Yeah, it's more decorative than wearable. I can be more creative if I don't have to worry about confining my work to human proportions." He laughed. "I think the only thing that could wear this mask would be a giant bird!"

Link laughed too. "It'd have to be one friggin' huge bird."

"If there _was _a bird big enough to wear it, it'd take a special kind of nut job to try to put a mask on it," Tor said, smiling.

The other two laughed.

"Don't you both have things you're supposed to be doing?" Tor asked.

They stopped laughing.

"Oh yeah," Link said. "Oops."

"I think I'm supposed be patrolling...somewhere..." Denko grabbed his mask and got up. "See ya Tor, Embroidery girl."

"Bye."

"It's Linkalla."

"See ya Linkalla."

"Your real name is Linkalla?" Zeld asked as soon as Denko was gone.

"Yes, why?"

"I didn't know." He smiled down at her. "It's pretty."

Link smiled back and fluttered her eyelashes. "Your highness is too kind."

Tor cleared his throat.

"But I must get back to my duties. Good day gentlemen." She bobbed a little curtsy and swept from the room.

"Quite the little vixen," Tor commented.

"Yeah..." Zeld sighed. "Isn't she something?"

"You're both doomed."

zzz

It was dark in Clock Town. There was silence everywhere, no one on the streets, no lights in the windows. Vaaltos didn't impose a curfew, but the people were too afraid to be outside at night.

Link, under normal circumstances, would have been decidedly creeped out by the empty streets, but she was on a mission, not to mention still buzzing from Tor's insanity coffee. She crept through town, dressed once again in green tunic and tan trousers, trying to make as little noise as possible. Her boots were not cooperating.

As she drew close to the tower she realized that moving quietly was not going to be a problem. In the dead silence of the night, the black wind that Vaaltos had redecorated with made a distinctive, and quite loud, whooshing sound.

Vaaltos didn't seem to feel the need to lock doors, and the Wolfos already recognized Link's scent, so she had no trouble getting in.

The halls weren't quite as empty as the streets had been, but that wasn't a good thing. There were ReDeads standing around at random intervals, and one or two Wolfos curled up in corners. As she made her way downstairs, more and more Stalfos showed up as well. Vaaltos hadn't been kidding when he said he had a lot of them.

It was pretty clear which rooms were the torture chambers and which was the inner sanctum. There were two doors with small barred windows, and one that was...different. It was solid black, no windows, no knobs, not even the swirly symbol that was on all the guards' chests. But there was nothing else it could be.

Link put a hand against the door and pushed.

zzz

Zeld looked up in surprise. The ReDeads were filing from the room, slowly, moaning, but still leaving.

He gulped. It was unlikely this was a good thing.

Then, much to his surprise, Tor pushed open the door and entered, carrying a folding chair over his shoulder.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," Zeld replied, blinking. "What's going on?"

"Couldn't sleep. Figured you couldn't either." Tor set up the folding chair not far from Zeld's cage and sat.

"Is something wrong?"

Tor just looked at him.

"Something in particular I mean."

Tor sighed and slumped forward. "It just gets to be too much sometimes, you know? I took everything for granted while I was there, but now...after I've been gone for so long...I miss every part of it.It's bad enough that I've been separated from the one I _love _this whole time...but there is so much else. I miss the sound of half a dozen chickens crowing in unison, I miss the windmill clacking at all hours of the day and night, I miss the ever-present ring of clouds over Death Mountain, I miss people not being afraid to walk the streets at night, I miss a moon that doesn't look like it wants to eat me, I miss sunrise over Lake Hylia and sunset over the mountains, I miss my _home_!"

Zeld was staring at him, gripping the bars of his cage, mouth hanging open. It couldn't be... All this time... "Are you saying..." he said, trying his best to steady his voice, "that you're from _Hyrule_?"

But before Tor could answer, all hell broke lose.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes from the Author

Sorry for the lateness, and I'm not sure how long the next one will take. I do have a couple of notes though. 1) The fact that Tor is from Hyrule is significant. 2) Link and Zeld have made a sort ofunconcious pact to never say Vaaltos' name without prefacing it with "that bastard." 3)Add a U to the end of Denko and look it up in a Japanese dictionary. Bit of a hint of things to come.

Also, check out my FictionPress account, TheNinjitsuSister. I only have one chapter up so far, but I'd like some commentary.


	13. Of Love and Other Demons

Chapter 13. Of Love and Other Demons

The black wind that made up Zeld's cage suddenly closed in on him like a fist. He thought he heard Torexclaim something, but couldn't make it out over the roaring of wind. He was disoriented, couldn't tell if the cage was moving or just the wind, all he knew for sure was that it was dark and the air was being squeezed from his lungs. He gasped for breath, and then darkness of another kind took him over.

zzz

Zeld moaned and winced. There was something different, but he couldn't figure it out. He opened his eyes and sat up.

He was inside a crystal.

"You have _got _to be _kidding _me," Zeld moaned. He tapped the crystal experimentally, but no good. It seemed plenty solid. "Could that bastard get any _more _cliche?"

"I doubt it."

Zeld looked up and was surprised to see Link in front of him. Tied to a chair with cords of black wind.

"For the record, this isn't at all the way I planned this." She pouted adorably. "He even took my hat. _Why _did he take my hat?"

"I...I don't know. You look..."

"Awful, right?"

"No...not really."

She sighed and leaned her head back. "I can't tell. Who's worse off, me or you?"

"I hate to say it...but probably you."

"You're in a crystal."

"He _trusted _you."

"Oh yeah. Crap."

The room they were in was small and dark, but there was bright sunlight coming from two windows. It looked eerily familiar to Zeld, but if it was the room he was thinking of he had never seen it through clear eyes before.

"This is one of those torture chambers isn't it?" Link asked, voice suddenly serious.

"Yeah, I think it is."

"You're quite right young ones."

They turned toward the voice. Vaaltos stood in the doorway, glowering down at them. He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled, coldly.

"I really should have expected this. I honestly don't know why I didn't. I will admit though..." he started down the stairs, slowly, clearly trying to be intimidating, "I didn't expect a woman."

"You should have know better," Link said.

Vaaltos' smile widened a little. "Your false bravado is showing."

Link gulped.

"I'm disappointed in myself," he sighed theatrically. "I really should have known better. But what's done is done, and maybe you know something the fool prince does not." He was close to her now, and reached out and touched her chin. Link jerked her head away.

"Of course, you're obviously a fool too. Why else would you be here?"

"At least my reasons are noble."

"Please," Vaaltos snorted. "You've got some sort of silly crush on your prince, and you thought you'd win his heart by rescuing him. It's been _done_, girl."

"That is not-"

"I don't care." His smile disappeared. "You know, I really don't know what to do with you. I _should _kill you both, but then I have even less of a chance of getting what I want from you." He shook his head and sighed. "I guess the best thing to do is just toss you away somewhere and worry about it later. I _do _have other things to do."

He snapped his fingers and the black wind ropes that held Link thickened and started to spread across her body. She yelped and Zeld pounded on the faceted walls of his prison, screaming curses.

But the crystal darkened and he was, once again, blinded.

But this time he remained conscious, and he was very aware of movement. He felt as though he was being pulled through the air, twisting and turning corners. He thought he heard Link's angry voice, but the wind was howling and he couldn't make out what she was saying.

There was one last lurch, then Zeld was hurled end-over-end and hit the ground, hard.

"Owww..." he heard Link say.

"Link?" he asked.

"Zeld?" she replied.

They scrambled toward each other in the dark and found each other's hands. It was pitch-black.

"What happened? Where are we?"

"I'm not sure. A room? It's dark."

"_Really _dark."

"What do we do?"

"I...don't know."

Link squeezed Zeld's hand and smiled in the general direction of his voice.

"But we'll be all right."

Zeld squeezed back. "I...I believe in you. I want you to know that."

"I know. I'm glad."

They sat in silence for a while, staring at the darkness. Neither one had ever been somewhere completely without light. It was spooky.

So they sat there, holding hands, eyes involuntarily straining to see. Time passed. How much time, they couldn't say, the darkness was disorienting, but it seemed like hours.

They both knew things were bad. They didn't know where they were or what was going to happen, and Vaaltos had seemed serious about killing them.

They were probably going to die.

Nothing makes silence louder than the knowledge of impending doom.

Then Link remembered she had something else to clarify.

"Zeld I..." She pulled her hand away from his. "That stuff Vaaltos said, about me having a crush on you...it's not true."

"I know. I didn't think so. You're my hero Link, you wouldn't be in this for a silly reason like that."

"Yeah...silly..."

Zeld recognized the warning signals in her voice. "A crush is silly, love is not."

"Zeld?"

"Nothing. Forget it."

"No." Link found him in the dark once more, managing to put her head on his shoulder. "You wanted to tell me something earlier."

"You said to wait until this was all over."

"I...I think it is all over."

"Link!"

"Think about it! What can we do? What can we _possibly _do..."

"Link...What about failure not being a possibility?"

"I...maybe I'm just tired. But I _want _to tell you this."

"Okay, but only because I am physically incapable of saying no to you."

"I don't have a crush on you," Link said firmly. "I love you Zeld."

For a moment Zeld said nothing, and Link felt her heart start to crack with fear. But then Zeld put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him, hugging her tight.

"I...I love you too Link. So much. I..."

"Ssh." She raised her hand to his face, touched his cheek, and giggled. "Help me find your mouth."

He took her hand in his and kissed her fingers. She replaced the fingers with her lips.

They kissed in the dark, eventually toppling over and winding up a happy tangle of limbs. Untangling wasn't something either one felt like doing, so instead they explored one another with hands and lips and tongues. Clothes got in the way, so they removed them.

The hero and her prince, the prince and his hero, for a moment were one, finding themselves in each other. And afterward, lying together, spent, they could barely remember why they had been so afraid before.

Link giggled. "I'll never find a good husband now," she said. "You've spoiled me."

It took Zeld a moment to realize she was joking, it was a legitimate concern. "You'll have no trouble finding a good husband," he said. "I'd say a prince is about the best catch you can get."

"What do you mean?" Link asked, not sure whether he was being serious or not.

"Just what I said." From his voice Link could tell he was smiling. "If worst comes to worst you can always marry me. If you want to, that is."

She sat up. "Are you serious?"

"Yup."

"That was the worst marriage proposal in the history of ever."

"So will you?"

"Of _course _you idiot!" She threw her arms around him and squeezed, hard. Then she remembered something.

"Unfortunately, I'm already betrothed."

Link blinked as she realized Zeld was the one who had spoken. "_What_?"

"It was arranged by my parents. I've never met the girl, I don't even know her name. It'll be easy enough to get around though."

"How so?"

"You know the stories. When the hero rescues the princess he always gets her hand in marriage as his reward. I don't see why that can't work here too."

"I...I suppose you're right... But that's assuming we make it out of this."

"Oh we will. I have a plan. Of sorts."

"Of sorts?"

"It's better than your 'work for the bad guy' plan."

"Hey! That worked. Mostly. Sort of. A little."

"At least you got laid."

"Then there's that." She snuggled up to him.

"I love you," Zeld said softly. "Never forget that."

"I love you too. And I won't forget. Never."

A world where love could exist wouldn't let evil triumph over good. That was silly.

zzz

Tor knew better. Evil could very easily win, which was why good had to carry a can of whoop-ass at all times.

Unfortunately, Tor's can was hermetically sealed by his oath to Vaaltos.

The Wizard of the Black Wind had ordered all of his human servants to go about their normal duties and stay _away _from the Darkroom, then disappeared into his inner sanctum.

The Darkroom. Naturally Vaaltos would have put the prince in there. It was a very small room, once a closet, now an escape-proof and completely lightless room for the slow and very mental torture of particularly hated prisoners. Leave a man in utter darkness for weeks on end and he _will _go mad.

The small room was in a secluded corner of the ground floor, secluded mainly because no one wanted to go over there. You never knew when there would be screams, or scratchings on the door.

Sometimes while there wasn't anyone in there.

It wasn't until late in the afternoon the day after the mess with Link that Vaaltos emerged, and it was only for long enough to snap at Tor to bring some food and water to the prisoners, then vanish into his library. He was very explicit in his instructions, so there were no loopholes. Tor couldn't free them.

When Tor approached the Darkroom with a tray of food, he heard sounds from the room. Normal, comforting sounds. The sounds of two familiar voices talking.

He rapped on the door.

The voices stopped.

"Zeld?" Tor said.

"Tor?" The prince's voice came from the other side. "Is that you?"

The door opened and Link and Zeld hissed as the light flooded the room.

"My eyes!"

"It burns!"

"The pain!"

"I'm blind!"

"You've been without light for a good twelve hours now," Tor informed them. "It's bound to sting a little."

Zeld told him to do something painful and inappropriate. Link just hissed some more.

Once their eyes adjusted to the light, Link and Zeld were able to see the room clearly for the first time. It was round, made of unadorned but extremely smooth stone, and only slightly wider across than Zeld was tall. Tor wouldn't have been able to lay flat in it. There were three steps that led down from the door into the room, so that whoever was standing in the doorway would be able to look down on the person or persons inside.

Tor set the tray down on the second step and sat on the floor just outside the room. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry, but there's nothing I can-"

"On the contrary," Zeld said, smiling and still blinking a little too often. "You can do something." He got up and stood in front of Tor. "Give me your hand."

Tor did.

"You are from Hyrule, right?"

"Well...yes."

"Good." Zeld held Tor's hand in both of his and closed his eyes, suddenly solemn. And when he spoke, there was almost an echo to his words, as though there was more to them than just words.

"I, Zeld Delorean Hyrule, crown prince of the kingdom of Hyrule, hereby call upon the oath that is in your very blood, the oath that all Sheikah are bound to, the oath to protect and serve the royal family of Hyrule. I hereby release you from all other oaths, and charge you to serve myself and my family above all others. ANTORES IRERU KOJIN, YOU _WILL _OBEY."

Zeld opened his eyes and smiled. "When youfeel like it,that is."

Tor blinked his eyes several times. "What...what just...how did you..."

"You're a Sheikah. All Sheikah are sworn to obey the royal family. I just called on that oath and erased your oath to that bastard Vaaltos."

"R- really?"

"Yuh-huh."

"I'm free?"

"Yup."

"_Thank you_!" Tor threw his arms around the prince and almost knocked them both to the ground.

"Watch it!" Link scurried out of the way. "And keep your hands off my man!"

"Do you have any idea what this means?" Tor exclaimed, not hearing her or not caring. "I can help you! I can break into that bastard's inner sanctum! I can let you go! I can... I can..." He pulled back from Zeld and looked at him. "How did you know my full name?"

Zeld shrugged. "Hell if I know, I was calling upon the oath in your blood, your blood probably told me."

"That would be creepy if I wasn't so happy right now."

"Magic's like that."

"I know. Oh!" He snapped his fingers. "That reminds me! That bastard Vaaltos' magic."

"What about it?"

"I can _learn _it. More importantly, I can learn how to fight it."

"You can?" Link got to her feet and dusted herself off. "How?"

"It's simple really." He smiled wryly. "When I was a kid I was never much for studying, especially magic. I learned almost everything by making my friends learn it for me, and then demonstrate. I learn through example, and I've been watching that bastard do his magic for almost five years." His smile turned into a grin. "_Goddess _I love being able to say that."

"Yeah, it's nice isn't it?" Zeld grinned too. "So where too now?"

"My sword." Link came forward to join the boys. "The Black Rose Blade. Do you know what that bastard did with it? When I came to after the door ate me it was gone."

"The door ate you?" Zeld asked.

"Basically, yeah."

Tor sighed. "It does that." Then he paused. "Wait, did you say the Black Rose Blade?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing, I've just heard of it. It might get you through the door."

"Kick ass. So where is it?"

"Downstairs, come on." He led them out of the Darkroom and down the hall.

"Where's that bastard Vaaltos?" Zeld whispered.

"You don't even know you're doing that do you?"

"Doing what?"

"Never mind. He's in his library. Plotting probably. He does that."

"Hey Tor?" Link asked.

"Hm?"

"What's your story?"

Tor stopped walking. "It's...kind of long."

"I want to know."

"So do I," Zeld said.

"Well...I'll do the sort version. It started with me being stupid. I went somewhere I shouldn't, and I wound up here. I was upset, naturally, and Vaaltos said he could help. He said he do his best to return me to Hyrule, and all I had to do was swear an oath to obey him. He seemed normal at the time, so I agreed. And at first it wasn't so bad. He asked me about Hyrule, and I told him. I told him...everything. Even about the Triforce, and Ganon, and how much power existed in just one of the pieces. So he came up with this plan... Well, you were there."

"It took five years?"

"He _did _have to find a way to Hyrule."

"Well, he found one."

"Yes..."

Zeld put his hand on Tor's shoulder. "It's not your fault. Anyway, it'll all work out. You'll see."

"I hope you're right."

Link put her hand on his other shoulder. "He is. You'll see."

"We all will." He shook his head and smiled. "Come on, I think I know where he would have put your sword."

The room was full of what appeared to be umbrella stands full of weapons, as well as several suits of armor and big wooden boxes.

"Armory?" Link asked.

"Armory," Tor confirmed.

"Bad idea on the bastard's part."

"Help yourselves."

Link and the prince charged into the room, running from umbrella stand to umbrella stand until Zeld remembered he didn't know what the Black Rose Blade looked like and just grabbed a bow and a quiver of arrows.

"Found it!" Link pulled the Blade from one of the stands. The roses, which had looked wilted, bloomed again at her touch.

"Ooh, pretty." Zeld reached out to touch it. "I can never keep mine that shiny."

"I can, but I haven't been using my technique with this one. I think it's just, you know, magic."

Tor was frowning at them thoughtfully. "Am I crazy, or do you two seem more relaxed all of a sudden?"

Link and Zeld glanced at each other, both blushing slightly.

Tor winced as realization dawned. "Okay, _ew. _That was _not _a mental image I needed."

"Pshaw, have you ever been in love?" Link asked.

"Yes."

He said it so firmly and with such regret, that Link was instantly cowed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It doesn't matter," he waved a hand as though to brush the thought away. "Once this is all over I'll raid Vaaltos' library and figure out how he got to Hyrule to kidnap the prince. It shouldn't take long."

Link looked down at the Blade. "Let's go."

Tor led the way downstairs, and though they got a couple of odd looks no one questioned them.

Then Link was once again facing that black door. "We meet again," she said, shifting her grip on the sword.

"Just whack it," Zeld told her.

Link grinned. "Don't tell me what to do honey, _I'm _the hero here."

"Yes dear."

"This would be sickening if I didn't miss doing the exact same thing," Tor sighed.

"Tor."

"Hm?"

"Go raid Vaaltos' library." Link looked very serious. "We may want to leave in a hurry."

Tor bowed and melted into the shadows. You listened to heroes when they talked like that.

"Ready?"

"Always."

Link drew back the Blade and swung.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes from the Author

We are reaching critical mass. Ooooh...

A couple notes. A) No one questioned the title of the last chapter, so either you all knew what it meant, or you all Googled it and found out what it meant. Good for you! B) Internet told me denkou means lightning. Dictionary didn't have it at all. Internet could have lied to me, but I am too lazy to change the chapter. C) This is a happy chapter! I liked it, I like making my characters happy. And love. Love is good. My semi-poetic way of saying Link and Zeld got it on was supposed to be pretty.I guess I shouldn't be dwn on myself,ought to let youguys judge. Ah well. D) And now we know Tor's real name. Antores Ireru Kojin. No, it doesn't really mean anything, though the last two parts are Japanese. I just thought it sounded good. I meant to not reveal his name until later, but I like the image of Zeld saying it, when he couldn't possibly have known it, in this big booming voice. Zeld has a nice voice, for the record.

I'm done for now. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	14. Veni

Chapter 14. Veni

The blackness of the door drew away from the sword, similar to the way paper draws away from a lit match. Link and Zeld looked at each other, then stepped through the hole in the door.

The room was painted completely white, and packed full of Stalfos. Link made a sound halfway between a sigh and a groan and elbowed Zeld.

"Cover me?"

"Right."

zzz

Tor's extremely shortened version of his life's story had explained how much Vaaltos knew about Hyrule, but neglected to mention how much _he _knew about Vaaltos. The Wizard of the Black Wind was the son of Vaati, the Wind Sorcerer. He had been born in a world different from both Hyrule and Termina, and by the time he was thirty he had taken over half of it. He did not attempt to rule, he just made it clear that he would get whatever he wanted if they did not all wish to die.

Vaaltos stumbled across stories of his father completely by accident. Vaati had died shortly after his son was born, and Vaaltos' mother hadn't liked to speak about him. The fact that his father had been a great sorcerer, evil, and attempted to take over worlds did not interest Vaaltos. What he found interesting was the fact that there _were _other worlds.

That was when he began to develop the black wind. He tapped into the power of another world, one almost entirely _made _of power, and focused it through an object into a form Vaaltos could control nearlyunconsciously.

The source of the black wind, the thing that without which Vaaltos would not be able to summon it, at all, was a large chunk of obsidian. The fact that the object was a large chunk of obsidian was not in any way important, almost anything would have worked, Vaaltos just liked it. It was black.

Link and Zeld had no way of knowing this however, so after they had cleared all the Stalfos from the room and saw the black stone sitting on a pedestal, they just looked at each other and said, in unison, "Laaaaame."

Link still had the Black Rose Blade drawn, but wasn't looking at it as they approached the stone. Zeld, was slightly behind her though, and he noticed as the sword suddenly became engulfed in black.

"Link!" he exclaimed.

"Huh?" she turned.

"Your sword!"

She looked at it. "Oh. Huh. That's weird."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Oh, nothing's _wrong_. I figure it does that when it gets close to doorways between worlds or whatever we're calling them."

"So...there's a doorway to somewhere in here?"

"Yuh-huh." She swung the sword around experimentally. "In...the rock?"

"Maybe the rock is, like, linked to somewhere?"

Link glared at him. "Was that a 'link' pun?"

Zeld recognized the dangerous glint in her eye. "No! No, just...you know...maybe the rock is _connected _to somewhere."

"Better." She eyed the rock critically. "There's something..."

"You feel it too?"

"Yeah."

"What do we do about it?"

"What a hero always does. I hit it with my sword."

"I'm just...going...to...duck."

"Have fun."

zzz

Tor approached Vaaltos' library with no small amount of trepidation. He stuck to the shadows, using all his skills to remain unseen. As far as Vaaltos knew Tor was no more rebellious today than he had been the day before, but Tor had a sinking feeling he would be able to tell Tor was free of the oath as soon as he saw him. Oaths worked like that.

Just as he was inching near the door, something shuddered through the building. Tor managed to stay hidden, but only barely.

The door to the library slammed open and Vaaltos burst into the hallway. "TOR!" he roared.

Tor managed to keep from jumping, then waited a few moments and watched Vaaltos seethe before melting from the shadows.

"You called?" he asked, trying to sound normal.

"Where are the prisoners?" Vaaltos asked through clenched teeth.

"Still in the..." He trailed off. "They're gone aren't they?"

"You tell me," Vaaltos growled.

"I brought them food a little while ago like you told me to. They were still in the Darkroom when I shut the door, I'm sure of it."

"Check," he said simply. Tor started to turn away, but Vaaltos shook his head. "No, I'll check. Gather your fellows and meet me downstairs."

By "fellows" Vaaltos meant the other human servants, it was how he often referred to them. Tor nodded and dashed away.

He released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding as soon as Vaaltos was out of sight. He had never been more grateful for all those years of lying to his parents.

zzz

The half-dozen men that lived in Vaaltos' tower had gathered in the basement. There were a few muttered questions about what was going on, but they had all learned not to press for answers when it came to Lord Vaaltos.

Only Denko, typically sloshed, had the courage to poke Tor in the ribs and ask what the hell was up.

"Badness," Tor answered. "The blondes are loose."

Denko whistled. "Never underestimate the power of a hot chick."

Tor rolled his eyes. "She was too young for you."

"Doesn't mean I couldn't look."

"You're a sick bastard."

"Says the sweeper of the chocolate chimney."

Tor lunged for Denko, but three of the others grabbed him and held him back.

"Not worth it man."

"He's drunk, he doesn't know what he's saying."

"We all like you, even him. He's just dumb as hell."

"I will rip his dumb _throat _out!" Tor snarled.

"_No _man. We are in this together, you can't just-"

"Stop," a cold voice said.

All the men froze, and turned slowly. Vaaltos was glaring at them from the stairs.

"You can kill each other later for all I care, but right now I require your assistance." Vaaltos swept past them and to the black door, which looked oddly thin, though no one could say why.

"The prince has escaped," he said simply. "Due to...reasons, I believe he and his little lady friend are in here." Vaaltos placed his hand on the door and it parted before him, rippling like water.

The room had changed since Link and Zeld had entered it, only a few moments before. The remains of the Stalfos had disappeared, as they tended to do, and where the pedestal with the chunk of obsidian had once stood was a hole.

That's it, just a hole. But it was perfectly round, and there was bright white light coming from it. Along with the occasional wisp of black wind.

Vaaltos stared at it thoughtfully. He turned and pointed at Denko. "You. You've the approximately the brains of half a brick, yes?"

Denko was still slightly stunned form the events of the last few minutes. "Uh..."

"I'll take that as a yes. You," he pointed at the hole, "go down there and kill the escapees."

"But- but I can't-"

"Yes you can." Vaaltos looked at a couple of the other men. "Someone shove him over here."

The guys who had been holding Tor back earlier obliged.

"Denko isn't it?"

Denko nodded mutely.

"Hold still."

Vaaltos' hand snapped out and latched onto Denko's face like a snake. Sparks started flying from Denko's hair, and a muffled scream came from behind Vaaltos' palm. The sparks flew faster and faster, and became little lightning bolts going from Denko's head to other parts of his body.

Vaaltos drew his hand away and for a moment Denko's screams echoed throughout the chamber, lightning flickering between his fingers and limbs. Then, suddenly, it all stopped, and there was nothing but silence and the smell of ozone.

"Well?" Vaaltos asked.

Denko's voice sounded hollow, and slightly shell-shocked. "I'm definately sober."

"Good. Now get going."

Denko took one look at Vaaltos' face, nodded, and hopped down the hole without a second glance.

"What did you _do _to him?" one of the younger guys asked.

Vaaltos smiled a little, always a bad sign. "You know how sometimes when you touch a doorknob it gives you a shock?" His smile broadened. "Our inebriated friend Denko is a walking, drunken, doorknob."

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes From the Author

Short chapter. Sorry, I'm sick. Last chapter sparked a couple questions that I thought I wouldn't have to answer, but here we go. The reason Tor didn't notice what Link and Zeld had been up to in the Darkroom is 1) It was _dark_. Even if there was light coming in from the hallway, it was still pretty damn dark. Along with that, remember that Tor wears those dark glasses all the time because he's too stubborn to admit he needs them to see. 2) They had been in there for a good twelve hours, plenty of time to get their clothes sorted out and such.

I really do think this stuff out, sometimes it's just hard to get it all down on paper. Pixels. Whatever.

My head hurts.

Oh, and for the record, "Veni" means "I came."


	15. Vidi

Chapter 15. Vidi

It was white. That was their first impression. White everywhere, as far as the eye could see. And it seemed, at first, that the eye could see for miles, but it proved to be illusion. At one point Zeld stopped walking and closed his eyes, to get a better feel for the place, and when he opened them Link was almost out of sight. So rather than pure white flat space for miles, the place was filled with a bright white fog that obscured everything more than a few yards away.

Link and Zeld decided to stick close to each other.

It was pretty clear where they were. No where else could possibly have felt like this.

The Sacred Realm.

It was pure magic, though that didn't seem like quite the right term. Magic was the stuff that you used to set thing on fire and teleport, and it came from within. This magic just _was_. It was the magic of growing things and animals. Of stones and the earth. Of the gods.

It was sacred.

And Vaaltos had been using it to hold people prisoner and torment innocents.

"You want to kill him or should I?" Link asked when Zeld explained all this to her.

"You can. I'd rather not."

"Pansy."

"You can't talk to me like that!"

"C-cups."

"Okay, you _can _talk to me like that. But please don't?"

"Sorry hun."

"Hun?" Zeld blushed.

Link smiled and took his arm. "Hun. Short for honey. You mind?"

"No, not a bit."

"Good," she smiled broader.

Zeld coughed nervously and smiled. "So, uh, what are we looking for again?"

"Two things: a way to take down Vaaltos, and a way out of here."

"Any ideas?"

"Not a one."

zzz

"You can all go back to your duties," Vaaltos said. "I will remain here. You should start mourning Denko now, if you feel so inclined."

The men exchanged glances, then turned and left without a word.

Once out in the hallway however, they all clumped together and started talking at once.

"Holy crap!"

"Did you _see _that!"

"He just- And then- And the- With the-"

"That bastard!"

"Are you talking about Lord Vaaltos or Denko, Tor?"

"Hell if I know. They're both bastards."

"Denko's just dumb. He didn't deserve...that."

"Holy. Crap."

"Are the blondes going to be okay?"

"Against Denko?"

"But he's all zappy now."

"He's _Denko_."

"He's a doorknob!"

"What does that even mean?"

"Beats me."

"He's zappy!"

"If he comes back alive that should be his new nickname."

"That or dumbass."

"Yeah."

"Hey guys," Tor said. "I'm heading upstairs."

"Oh, okay."

"You gonna be all right?"

"You know we're cool with you being gay right?"

"I know," Tor smiled. "See you all later."

"Bye."

"Don't punch any walls."

Tor walked at a measured pace until he reached the end of the hall, then melted into the shadows. He waited for a moment to appreciate the startled exclamations of his friends, then headed for the library.

Vaaltos had left it unlocked, but he often did. It was instant death to anyone who was caught inside it. Two people had actually tried in the past.

Vaaltos was not the type of man who would display the remains of those who displeased him before those who had yet to.

No, he was the type of man who would _incinerate _those who displeased him before those who had yet to, and then order the survivors to clean up the mess.

Tor couldn't help but pause just before he opened the door. This place had always been Forbidden, with a capital F, and it was hard to continue when every experience of the last five years of your life was screaming at you to stop.

But he clenched his jaw and turned the handle. It opened without the hint of a squeak, to reveal a room full of books.

Well, it _was _the library.

Oddly enough, most of the books on the walls looked untouched. There was a large desk toward the back of the room that was covered with books and papers that showed signs of use, but everything on the walls seemed to be there simply for decoration.

Tor went straight to the desk. Vaaltos, while never showing any inclination toward passing on his genetic material, was much too proud of his accomplishments to not want to save them for posterity. Somewhere on that desk was a complete record of what Vaaltos had done to create the black wind, and to move between worlds.

Somewhere on that desk was the way to get Tor home.

"Damn! Hasn't that bastard heard of a filing system?"

zzz

Denko was not smart, nor had he ever pretended to be. He also drank, which didn't help. What he had said to Tor had just sort of slipped out. He didn't mean anything by it, he had nothing but respect for Tor, but sometimes he said things like that. Stupid things.

And now he was hopping down a hole to goddess-knows-where, feeling like he'd just swallowed lightning.

Once inside the hole he, like Link and Zeld, was struck by the blank whiteness of the place. He felt the power as well, it would be hard _not _to feel it, but he didn't bother to wonder where he was. But the power...it was everywhere. And there were trails in it, places where it had been disturbed, like paths that people made by walking through tall grass.

Denko raised his head and sniffed the air, without even realizing he was doing it. There, the blondes had gone that way. He clapped his hands and rubbed them together.

And when he pulled them apart a bolt of lightning seared through the air, clearing the white fog for a distance and leaving an ugly black scorch mark where it hit the ground.

Denko grinned. "Kick-ass."

zzz

"You see anything?" Link asked.

"Nothing. You?" Zeld replied.

"Nothing."

"Do you think...maybe..."

"No."

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"You were going to suggest we split up."

Zeld froze mid-step. "Damn. How did you do that?"

"Ways. I have 'em."

"You are _so _scary sometimes."

"Love you too," she said sarcastically.

"I'm serious though."

"'Bout what?"

"Splitting up. You still got that piece of the Gossip Stone?"

"Yeah..."

"So we can contact each other through those if anything happens."

"I guess, but..."

"What?"

"You know what always happens in the stories."

"Oh yeah." Zeld scratched his head. "Well...this isn't a story."

"Not yet. But if we make it back...who knows?"

"You're just _trying _to be weird now aren't you?"

"Kinda, yeah." She smiled, then leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. "You go that way, I'll go this way, and we try to walk in a straight line, kay?"

"Okay," Zeld smiled back. They both turned and walked off.

Link figured she'd gone more than a hundred paces, with nothing to see but white, when something crackled out of the fog and burned a gouge in the white floor in front of her feet.

Link managed to resist the impulse to jump and squeak, then whirled around and looked at where the lightning had come from. There was a figure in the clearing fog, a man, of about average height, who looked vaguely familiar. Link couldn't place him, until she noticed the black pack he wore.

"Hey, you're that Denko guy! What are you doing here?"

He smiled, and Link was unpleasantly reminded of pictures she'd seen of underwater predators. "I was sent."

"Sent?" she repeated, inching her hand toward the Black Rose Blade.

"Sent to hunt you down..." he put his hands together and started rubbing quickly, "and destroy you!"

He pulled his hands apart and pointed them at Link, and an arc of electricity jumped from them. Link threw herself out of the way, but she could feel every hair on her body standing on end.

"Are you crazy!" she shouted at Denko. "I'm trying to save you from that bastard Vaaltos!"

"You can't," he was still smiling. "You can never save us. Vaaltos is too much for you."

"We've already robbed him of one of his most valuable servants, broken into his sacred space, and busted up his Stalfos. Not to mention that rock."

"What rock?"

"Exactly."

Denko shook his head, and the smile turned sad. "It doesn't matter. None of that matters. Vaaltos will win...and I want to be on the winning side."

He started rubbing his hands together again, and this time Link recognized the signs. She scrambled to her feet and ran for it, throwing away her sword.

Metal conducts electricity.

zzz

Zeld, wandering through the fog and starting to feel rather jumpy, suddenly noticed that his hair was standing on end. He had that extremely fine sort of blond hair that was affected by the slightest amount of static in the air, so he paid it no mind. Instead he squinted at what appeared to be a smudge on the fog.

A few steps more and the smudge was revealed to be an object.

A few more and it was revealed to be a person, seated on the ground.

A few more and it was revealed to be a man, in his early fifties probably, with bright orange hair and a complexion that a polite person would refer to as "olive." He had the look of a former athlete who had let himself go to seed. His nose, which was prominent, had been broken some time in the past, and though there were still visible muscles in his arms he was definately on the heavy side.

The man looked at Zeld with mild interest. "Hylian, right?" he said calmly.

"Um, yeah," Zeld said. "And you are...?"

"Mad," he said with a wry smile. "Or so I've been told."

"Uh...okay? Wh... What are you doing here?"

"I am a prisoner. I have been imprisoned."

"In the sacred realm?"

"They seemed to believe it was the only place that could hold me." He looked at Zeld thoughtfully. "You wouldn't happen to be related to the royal family by any chance?"

"Yes! How did you know?"

"The coronet's a bit of a giveaway. It's crooked you know."

"Erm, yeah," he fidgeted with it. "I haven't seen a mirror in a week."

"I haven't seen one in, oh, at least a hundred years."

Zeld blinked.

"Probably more."

"Oh..." Zeld coughed nervously. "That's...too bad."

"I can put up with it." He looked at Zeld, and there was an odd light in his eyes. "You're a prince?"

"Yes..."

The strange man stared hard at Zeld, suddenly looking very serious. Those strange mad eyes bored through him, and Zeld felt almost transfixed by them. Those were the eyes of a man who would look at Vaaltos as an insignificant ant, and he would be right.

Much to Zeld's relief, the man looked away. "No," he said to himself. "It would be too easy. I need...more than this."

"Um, sir?"

"Relax kid," the man seemed to have deflated somewhat, and now just looked tired. "Go on home. I doubt I'll see you again."

"Sir?"

Something crackled behind Zeld and he felt his hair defy gravity even further. He whirled around and was surprised to see the white fog parting and a figure in green charging through it.

"Zeld!" Link exclaimed.

"Disappointed to see me?" Zeld asked.

"Kinda. Duck!" She tackled him to the ground just as a bolt of what looked like lightning shot over their heads.

It struck the ground barely a foot from where the strange man sat. He didn't even twitch.

Link and Zeld scrambled to their feet and dusted each other off. "What was that?" Zeld asked.

"Remember that Denko guy?"

"From the other day?"

"Yeah. He can shoot lightning now."

"Well fu-"

Link yanked him away just as another bolt hit where he'd been standing.

They both started running.

"Where's your sword?" Zeld shouted.

"Threw it away," Link shouted back. "Didn't want to be a lightning rod."

"Smart, but now how do you fight back?"

"One step at a time baby."

"You _need _a weapon."

"Well what are we supposed to do, go back for it?"

"Why not?"

"Okay, but we split up."

"Right!"

Link curved away to the right and Zeld curved away to the left, and for a moment, just a moment, Denko was confused. But that moment was long enough.

They both managed to get behind him, dodging poorly-aimed lightning bolts and just barely keeping on their feet. The ground was even but it had been a trying week, they were stumbling.

"Who was that guy back there?" Link asked as they drew together.

"I don't know. He says he's a prisoner."

"Trapped? Should we try to help him?"

"No, I think he's a _real _prisoner. Imprisoned for a reason."

"Ooh, creepy."

"Yeah. What's that?" he pointed.

"The Blade!" Link ran on ahead and scooped it up, then turned and ran at Denko. He looked startled, but screeched to a halt and started rubbing his hands furiously.

"No deal!" Link shouted. She made a quick zigzag to throw off his aim, and raised her sword.

Denko yelped and dodged, and Link missed. Her sword caught on the makeshift bag on his back and it tore away, sending the mask it had held skidding across the flat white ground.

"Just give up!" Denko shouted.

"Make me!" she replied.

In retrospect, that was not the best thing she could have said.

Denko clapped his hands together and rubbed furiously, pulling them apart and aiming before Link had a chance to attack. She hit the deck and rolled out of the way of the blast, but it was dangerously close.

Zeld was wringing his hands unconsciously as he watched the fight. Link and Denko just kept attacking and dodging in turns, but it was clear they wouldn't be able to keep it up forever.

"Your girlfriend looks tired."

Zeld yelped and spun around. The strange man from before was standing behind him. "It's, um, been a long few days...for both of us."

"Saving the world?"

"Kinda."

The man cocked his head and looked at Zeld oddly. "You have no idea do you?"

"Sir?"

He shook his head. "Too easy. Far, far too easy." The man turned and walked off. Just before he disappeared into the fog Zeld heard him say, "You could _help _her you know."

Zeld looked down at the bow he still held in his hand.

He smacked himself in the forehead.

Meanwhile, Link was in a sticky situation. She didn't really want to hurt Denko, and she was pretty sure he didn't want to hurt her, but he was a lot more willing to do so than she was. If she hadn't met him before, talked and laughed with him, maybe things would be different. But she had, and they weren't.

This was bad.

Link rather badly flubbed an attack and Denko elbowed her sharply in the back. She collapsed to the ground with a cry of pain, and Denko started to bring his hands together...

Then an arrow struck him in the arm and he cried out. Link scrambled out of the way, just in time, because the arrow exploded into golden light, engulfing Denko and blinding Link and Zeld.

When the light was gone and the spots had faded from their eyes, our heroes made sure they were both all right, Zeld noting that his har was lying flat again, then headed straight to the spot where Denko had stood.

He was lying on the ground, very still. Linkkneeled over him for a moment, then sat back with a sigh.

"He's breathing."

Zeld sighed too. "Thank goodness. I didn't expect that to happen."

"What _was _that?" Link asked, climbing to her feet.

"A light arrow."

"Light arrow?"

"I think."

"You _think_?"

"Well what else could it have been?" Zeld took one of his remaining arrows out of the quiver and looked at it thoughtfully. "I know how to make them, in theory, but it takes a lot of power. Maybe...the sacred realm did it?"

"Made your arrow into a light arrow?"

"Why not?"

Link thought about that for a moment, then decided she didn't want to think about it. "You think those light arrows will work outside?"

"Of course."

"Okay then." She raised the Black Rose Blade and swung it experimentally. "That way," she pointed. "Let's get out of here."

Zeld swung the still-unconscious Denko over his shoulder and followed her obediently.

They were going to win. He could feel it.

zzz

Denko's mask lay abandoned on the blank white ground. He'd been coloring it, and it looked quite cheerful.

The strange man Zeld had spoken to walked up to the mask and stared down at it.

It looked like it would fit the face of a giant bird.

The man smiled.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes From the Author

This chapter turned out a lot shorter than I thought it would. I'm sorry. I suck at fight scenes, and yet I keep writing adventure stories. What's wrong with me?

Just so you know, I averaged about a sentance a night when I was writing this. I don't have high hopes for the next chapter, but on the bright side there are only three left. Yes, I have an end in sight!

Minor note. I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I was thinking about it the other day. Tor is the sexy librarian type. Long silver hair, glasses, overall hotness. Rawr.

I'm so weird.

Oh yeah, and "Vidi" means "I saw."

And if you don't recognize the "strange man" I shall smack you.

I am _so_ weird.


	16. Vici

16. Vici

It was now early evening and the sinking sun was staining the sky the color of a Sheikah's eyes. No one important to our story at the moment was aware of this though, in fact Link and Zeld didn't even know if it was the same day it had been when they'd first hopped down the hole in Vaaltos' sacred space.

All those still in Vaaltos' tower were too distracted to notice the sunset.

"I _told _him not to support the tower with just magic!" one of the guards raged.

"You did not!"

"Well I _meant _to! Don't forget that picture of your daughter."

"Right, thanks." The guy grabbed the picture and added it to the box of stuff he was gathering frantically.

The tower shuddered for the _n_th time in the last hour, and the two men decided to cut their losses and just run for it.

They were joined in the hallway by three others, all fleeing for their lives. Oaths didn't mean jack when your boss was missing and your place of work could fall down around your ears at any moment.

"Where's Tor?" someone asked.

"Haven't seen him. He's smart, he'll know to get out."

"I don't know. He was under a way more binding oath than ours. If Lord Vaaltos told him not to leave, he wouldn't, _couldn't_, leave."

"Well he's a Sheikah. They have, like, ways."

"Yeah, that's true."

"He'll be fine."

"No problem."

They all paused in their running.

"We don't know where he is."

"There's nothing we can do."

The tower shuddered.

"We should warn the town. If this thing collapses it'll cause a lot of damage."

"Yeah... Let's go."

They ran.

zzz

Link clambered out of the hole and got out of the way as Zeld shoved Denko's still-unconscious form up ahead of him.

"This idiot's heavy," Zeld grunted.

"Here, let me." Link slipped her hands under Denko's shoulders and yanked. He was out cold, he wouldn't mind.

Once Denko was slumped on the floor, well away from the hole, Link offered her hand to Zeld and pulled him out.

"All okay?"

"All okay."

"Let's-"

Suddenly the floor shook beneath their feet, and the walls shuddered.

"Hocrap!"

"What was that? Earthquake?"

"I don't know, but I think we'd better get out of here."

Zeld nodded, then bent to pick up Denko again. This time he slung one of Denko's arms over his shoulders, and Link took the other one. They half-dragged him out into the hallway and up the stairs, then heard running footsteps up ahead.

"I'll check it out," Link said. She slipped out from under Denko's arm and darted around the corner.

Zeld waited. He heard the footsteps slow, then stop. There was a voice and he strained to hear, but Denko moaned and opened his eyes.

"Uh... Where am I?" He raised his head and tried to stand on his own, swaying unsteadily.

"In Vaaltos' tower," Zeld said, shifting his weight to get a better grip on the other man. "We're trying to get out though."

"Tor," Denko said firmly. "Where's Tor?"

"I'm not sure, he's probably gone by now."

"Where is he? I need to find him." He shoved at Zeld and tried to walk away, but Zeld kept his grip.

"You're injured, I think. Don't try to walk."

"I _need _to find him. I need to tell him I-"

"Zeld!" Link came around the corner, followed by four men in black livery. Zeld automatically released Denko and went for his bow. "No Zeld, it's okay. They're on our side."

"We're getting the _hell _out of here," the one in the lead said, "and we think you should too."

"We can't," Zeld said.

"See?" Link nudged the man.

"But take him," Zeld took Denko by the shoulders and shoved him forward.

"Where's Tor?" Denko asked.

"He seems to be fixated on that."

"I'll take him," the man took Denko, who was still quite unsteady, and slipped his arm under his shoulders. "Come on, Sparky."

"I need to find Tor."

"That's nice, but let's find your family first."

"Oh, yeah, I should tell them too..."

The men headed off down the hall, leaving Link and Zeld alone.

"Sooo..."

"Up?"

"Why not?"

They headed up.

The tower _seemed _completely deserted, but it was difficult to tell. It had always been quiet. Zeld had spent the vast majority of his time there inside that cage, so it was up to Link and her vague memories of Vaaltos' tour to find their way. They didn't know what they were looking for, they didn't have a plan, but they went up every staircase they came to and hoped for the best.

The only sounds as they walked were those they made themselves, plus the ominous creaking and cracking that came from the walls. Link walked with her sword drawn, Zeld a few paces behind her with an arrow on the string. Neither spoke.

On the second floor from the top they came across what looked at first like a spot of unusually deep shadow, but as they approached it moved.

Vaaltos looked up at them from where he sat, dejected, on the floor. "I'm not certain whether I should be impressed or not," he said conversationally. "You taken so much from me, but you only did it through luck and my own oversight. It's a bit depressing."

"You bastard," Link growled. "After everything you've done you expect us to feel sorry for you?"

"Don't be silly." He got to his feet and dusted off his robes. "All I expect you to do...is die." He raised his hand as he said this, then winced. "I'm straying into the clichéd evil wizard dialogue again aren't I?"

"A bit, yeah."

"I'll try to stop that." He brought his hand down hard, and the tower gave a final shudder, then gave up.

zzz

Vaaltos' men, Denko still wobbling, escaped from the tower with moments to spare before it started shaking like it was made of gelatin. Stones are not supposed to move like that, and the

stones seemed to know it, for only seconds after the shaking started one of the blocks of dark stone that made up the tower came crashing to the ground. Many of its fellows soon followed.

The homes and shops in the vicinity of the tower had been vacated years ago so there was little danger of injury from the falling rocks, but the townspeople ran for it anyway, gathering on the old milk road, long abandoned, to stare at the destruction.

The entire top half of the tower was gone now, and the shaking seemed to have stopped. The townspeople stared in silence, that is, until a small regiment of men in black appeared ahead. Then there was running, and shouting, and explanations, and tears...

And then silence again.

"Where's Tor?" Denko asked.

zzz

Vaaltos' robes whipped around him as he rose, slowly, above his two former captives. There was wind swirling around him, not black, but filled with the dust of the partially-destroyed tower. He was smiling.

Link and Zeld helped each other to their feet and recovered their weapons. They were standing on what was now the roof of the tower, the rest of it having fallen. There was wind swirling all around, perfectly ordinary non-black wind, but it seemed to be under Vaaltos' control.

"You've set me back years," Vaaltos said.

"You've ruined hundreds of lives," Link replied.

"Have at you then."

The battle began.

Vaaltos' started by hurling lightning bolts at Link and Zeld, which they had no trouble dodging after all the practice they'd had with Denko. Zeld fired arrows while Link tried to run in close with her sword.

Unfortunately Vaaltos noticed this and little mini-tornados started sprouting off of the giant swirl of wind that held him aloft. Link dodged, but there were too many and one hit her, carrying her ten feet before dropping her on the ground.

"Link!" Zeld ran to her. "Are you okay?"

"Un. Yeah." She sat up. "That's not gonna work."

"So what can we do? The arrows are too light. They keep getting blown away."

"Is that a longbow?"

"Yeah."

"Shoot my sword!"

"That is the worst idea I have ever heard. Let's do it."

As anyone with any sense knows, it should be impossible to shoot a sword with a bow. But the world wasn't operating on normal rules at the moment, and Zeld knew how to bend them anyway. He pulled back and let fly.

It got caught up in Vaaltos' whirlwind, spun around the back, and flew back toward our heroes.

They yelped and threw themselves to the ground.

"That didn't work!" Zeld shouted.

"You noticed!" Link shouted back.

Zeld tried with the light arrows again while Link yanked the sword out of the floor, but it was clearly not going to work. As long as Vaaltos was completely focused on them, Link and Zeld would not be able to get a blow in.

And it was at this moment that Tor, with his traditional poof-in-from-nowhere entrance, appeared on the rooftop behind Vaaltos.

"Hey Vaaltos!" Tore shouted.

"What?" Vaaltos snapped.

"I thought I knew a lot about your past, but there was one thing I never figured out!"

"What's that?"

"You're ninety years old!"

"WHAT?" Vaaltos spun around and faced Tor, for the moment completely forgetting about the fight.

It was just the opening Link needed. With one last yank she freed the Black Rose Blade from the stone and rushed forward. Vaaltos had his back to her, glowering at Tor. He didn't even notice when she got caught up in his whirlwind and swept off the ground.

"Vaaltos!" Link screamed over the wind. He turned and she met his eyes just as the wind brought her level with him. He stared at her with rage and hatred and drew his hand back, preparing a strike.

Link felt her stomach go cold.

He was going to kill her, and he wouldn't even think twice about it afterward.

The wind was buffeting her back and forth and she could barely control her movements, but Link did the only thing she could.

She swung the Black Rose Blade.

There was a terrible moment where she could feel the sharp edge of the sword slice through muscles and scrape against bone, and then a worse moment when the bone shattered and the sword cut things more vital.

The look in Vaaltos' eyes was not fear, or even pain, it was simply...shock. As if he had honestly not believed this was possible.

And then the sword broke free of Vaaltos' body and the wind exploded in between them, blowing them in opposite directions. Vaaltos fell of the edge of his tower, and his body streamed blood into the air as he plummeted earthward.

Wind gathered underneath him, trying to slow his fall, but gravity was too much for him for once. He didn't move, looking like a boneless doll as his own wind tried desperately to save him.

And then, barely a yard from the ground, he slowed...and stopped...and then that last something that let you know he was still alive seemed to fade away...and he hit the earth with a dull thud.

And so ended the life of Vaaltos, Wizard of the Black Wind.

zzz

"Link..."

"Mm?"

"Link, are you okay?"

"Uh." Link sat up and rubbed her head. Zeld and Tor were leaning over her, wearing identical expressions of worry. "Yeah, I think I'm fine. Whole body feels like one big bruise though."

Tor sighed with relief and Zeld offered her his hand to help her to her feet.

"What happened?" She looked around. They were in the middle of a street some distance from the tower.

The tower was gone. Nothing but rubble and dust.

Tor coughed uncomfortably and Zeld spoke. "Tor sort of...flew us over here as the tower was collapsing."

Link blinked. "He did _what_?"

Tor grinned sheepishly. "Have I mentioned that I'm damn good at magic when I have to be?"

Link stared at him. "Vaaltos can fly."

"Could," Zeld said.

They both looked at him.

"He's dead. The proper term is 'could.'"

"He's...dead?" Link blinked again. Her eyes were suddenly very bright.

"Yes," Tor said solemnly. "I went and checked. He's very definately dead."

"Link?" Zeld put his hand on her shoulder.

She sniffed and smiled weakly. "I'm okay. I just..." She blinked once more and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I...I never killed anyone before... I... _God _it's been a long week!" She threw herself at Zeld and sobbed.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Quick note:

First of all, sorry. For everything. I am so, so, sorry.

Second, I have a DeviantArt account under the name BatNeko. I've got some fanart and I intend to post more in the future. I've been wanting to draw illustrations for my stories for a long time, and now I finally have a reason (the two-page comic of the "colossal confrontation" scene in my "Why I Hate Hormones" series isn't drawn yet, but it WILL be!). My featured deviation is currently the cast picture I drew for the Legend of Zeld, so if you've been wanting to know how Iimagine all these crazy people, go check it out. (I love Denko!)


	17. And They All Lived

17. And They All Lived...

or,

With Apologies to Bon Jovi

Link leaned on Zeld's shoulder as they walked the silent streets. The town had always been quiet, but this was the quiet of desertion, not fear.

"Where is everybody?" Zeld asked.

"Evacuated probably," Tor said. "Come on, I know the way."

He led them across town and out onto the old Milk Road, and sure enough there was a huge crowd of people huddling together. For a moment a field of eyes stared at the three of them.

"You're probably wondering what happened," Tor said with a reassuring smile. "Short version: Vaaltos is gone."

"How gone?" a woman asked.

"Dead."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

There was a quick murmur as the news traveled back to the people who couldn't hear, and then someone cheered. Domino effect followed.

It was a good fifteen minutes before any kind of order could be restored, and that was only because half the crowd had headed back to town to clean and reclaim. It was at this point that Denko, finally, found Tor.

"Tor!" he shouted, pushing through the remains of the crowd.

"Hey Sparky. How you doin'?"

"Um, fine. Fine. Why does everyone keep calling me that?"

"Oh...you know...reasons. What's up?"

"I've been looking for you! I- I have to tell you I- Tor I'm so _sorry_!"

Tor smiled. "It's okay, really. I weren't thinking."

"No...I wasn't..." He ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "When that light hit me, in that weird white place, I saw...everything. Suddenly everything made sense. Why I said that, why I drink so much. I was...scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"I'm gay."

Tor promptly smacked him on the side of his head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being an idiot!"

"Oh. Okay then."

Zeld and Link managed to escape from some of their new fans, and worked their way back to Tor. Zeld poked him in the ribs.

"Hey. Link looks like she's gonna pass out. How about going home?"

"Home?" Tor repeated. He looked stunned.

"Yeah. You _can _get us back there...right?"

"Yeah, yeah...no problem. Come on."

They headed across town and to the graveyard, followed by a curious Denko. When they got there, a change was apparent.

There was a huge makeshift ramp leading from the top of the cliff along the side of the graveyard to the portal, which was visible as a faint shimmering in the air.

"How long has that thing been there?" Link asked, staring.

"Like two days," Denko said. The other three turned to him. "My kid brother told me about it. Him and some of the other boys were thinking that if they built up enough speed they could get through the portal and escape this place. They never tested it though. Cart's still up there." He pointed, and sure enough there was a cart at the top of the ridge.

Link grinned. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

zzz

"This is pointless you know," Tor said, helping the other two shove the cart into position.

"Perhaps," Link agreed. "But it will be _so _cool."

"You sure you can't come with us?" Zeld asked.

"Afraid so. Now that Vaaltos is dead the portal will remain open until the people that came through it go back, but only they will be able to use it."

"So no one but us can go through it, and once we do it'll close?"

"Yep."

"So how are you going to get home?"

Tor shrugged. "I've studied Vaaltos' magic. I'll figure something out."

"Well...when you do get back, if you need a job, look me up. I've noticed security at the palace is awfully lax."

Tor laughed. "I'll do that."

"Looks good!" Denko called from down near the end of the ramp.

"This is it then," Zeld sighed.

"Yeah," Link slipped her hand into his.

"Get in the cart before I start it off without you," Tor told them.

They clambered in, Link wincing as she settled near the back.

"All set?" Tor asked.

"All set," Zeld gave him a thumbs up.

Tor pulled off his black tunic and used it to pad his hands as he shoved the cart off the top of the ramp.

As he pushed, Link saw something glittering in the hollow of his throat.

A gold ring, engraved with two ancient Hylian symbols, on a chain around his neck.

She smacked herself in the forehead and lurched to her feet as the cart rumbled toward the portal.

"Tor!" she shouted, gripping the back of the cart. "Kobold misses you! He wants you to come home!"

Tor's eyes widened and he started forward, mouth open to shout.

But then cart passed through the portal and dumped Link and Zeld on the scraggly grass at the edge of the desert.

"What was that about?" Zeld groaned as he climbed to his feet.

"Me being dumb," Link sighed. "I can't believe I didn't figure it out before. 'Tall, very handsome, silverish hair that he likes to wear long...' Stupid, stupid Link!"

"Huh?"

"I'll explain on the way." She sighed again as she surveyed the desert. "We'll have plenty of time..."

zzz

After two day of trekking across the desert Link was starting to despair. She'd _done _the hero thing, she'd _saved_ the prince, it should be _over_. She shouldn't have to try to cross a desert with nothing but a sword, a bow...and a guy who could use magic to get water out ofalmost anything.

"Just one of those handy spells that you need to know, because you never know," Zeld had said, grinning, the first time he did it.

The sun was rising and Link was shuffling along in dejection. "This is hopeless."

He poked her. "We've got to hold on to what we've got."

"It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not."

"We've got each other, and that's a lot." He smiled down at her. "For love."

She smiled back. "For love."

Zeld looked back up at the horizon. "Oh! We're halfway there."

Link shook her head. "Living on a prayer."

"Take my hand." She did. "We'll make it, I swear."

She smiled, but shook her head again. "Living on a prayer."

They walked on in silence for a while.

"Let's talk about something," Zeld said. "Pass the time."

"I think we've run out of subjects."

"Blasphemy! There must be something!"

Link cracked a smile. "I still can't believe you have piercings on your-"

"_We will never speak of that again_!" Zeld shouted.

Link threw her head back and laughed.

"It's not my _fault _okay? It's...traditional..."

"_That's _traditional?"

"The piercings allow the, uh, royal personage to be...sort of...tied down...to prevent any embarrassing...over-excitement in public."

Link was now laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

"Shut up will you?"

She said nothing, just wheezed.

"Shut up!"

Still nothing.

"Screw you."

"You already did baby," Link grinned, finally gaining her breath. "Piercings and all."

"Go to hell."

"Taking you with me."

Zeld grumbled and turned his eyes firmly on the horizon. Then he blinked.

"What is that?"

"What is what?"

"That," he pointed. "That thing, coming toward us."

"It's a mirage."

"It is not. I think it's a horse!"

"Well if it's a mirage you owe me ten bucks."

"It _is _a horse! Look!"

She looked. "17th!" she exclaimed gleefully.

"Who?"

"That's _my _horse!"

17th galloped across the sand, whinnying as she drew close. Link ran ahead, throwing her arms around the horse's neck as soon as she reached her. "17th, I can't believe you came all the way out here!"

"It's a horse, Link," Zeld told her.

"Shut up and hop on." Link swung herself into the saddle, grinning. "We're getting home in style."

"I have to sit behind you?"

"Yes."

"Fine, but if anyone asks...I was wounded in battle."

Link laughed. "Get on you big baby. And don't make me start calling you my bitch."

"Yes dear."

He climbed on behind her, and the hero and her prince rode off into the sunset.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes from the Author:

Before anyone asks, Zeld's piercing is what's known as the "Prince Albert" piercing. It's called this because, rumor has it, Prince Albert had is done for the same reason Zeld described. I really don't know why I included this in the story. Just thought it'd be funny.

Go check my DA account. I've got some fanart, and a steamy picture of Tor and Kobold. Yes they're a couple, yes I know you figured that out already, but this was the first time I actually _confirmed_ that in the story, remember?

Only one chapter to go! Whoo! Next one will wrap up _everything_, I promise.


	18. Happily Ever After

18. Happily Ever After

Morning saw Link and Zeld slip quietly into town. No one noticed the young couple stroll through the square and disappear up the path toward the castle. No one suspected this was just what the young couple intended.

"I need new clothes and a bath," Zeld said firmly. "A _long _bath."

"Don't you think letting your parents know you're alive should take precedence over getting clean?"

"It's been almost two weeks. I _need _a bath."

"But-"

"Bath!"

"Fine. Sheesh. But only if I can join you."

"I thought that was implied."

They snuck into the palace with even less trouble than they'd snuck through town. Zeld, having grown up in the place, knew all the nooks and crannies and little-used hallways. It wasn't until they reached the living quarters that they ran into anyone at all.

"My room's just up the hall," Zeld said. "It's still early so we can-"

"Hey, it's you!"

Link and Zeld turned and stared.

For a moment they thought they were looking at a skinny redheaded girl, then Link made a mental connection.

"_Doran_?"

"Yo," the young Gerudo king smiled and waved. He had been cleaned up and dressed in what Link would have thought were some of Zeld's old clothes, if they hadn't been pink. His hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, and he looked, well, cute.

"What are you _doing _here?" Link asked.

"Bargaining," he shrugged. "It's a show of good faith. I swore that my people weren't holding you hostage," he nodded to Zeld, "and to prove it I turned myself over as a hostage to your parents." He looked down at himself. "You mom dressed me in your old clothes. Let me guess, she wanted a daughter?"

"She would never admit to it, but it's the only answer that makes sense," Zeld agreed.

Link switched her shocked stare to Zeld. "Your mom made you wear _pink_? _My _mom never made me wear pink!"

"Lucky," the boys said in unison. They grinned at each other.

"So are both of you all right?" Doran asked. "Everyone was worried, even me. Despite the fact that, you know, I don't really know you."

"We're fine," Link said. "Few dozen bruises and scrapes, but mostly fine."

"Anyway, you don't need to know your brother to worry about him," Zeld added.

Doran blinked. "Brother?"

"Well, not technically since I'm not king yet, but once I am we'll be brother kings." He looked down at Doran's stunned face. "Didn't anyone tell you about that bit?"

Doran shook his head slowly. "You mean...just because I'm king...I get a brother?"

"Three actually," Zeld said. "My dad, not me yet. There's him, the Big Brother of the Gorons, and the Zora King. Kings call each other brother, it's that simple." He looked closely at Doran. "Or, if you want, you and me could be _sworn _brothers."

There were actually tears standing in Doran's eyes. "You would really do that?"

"Of course. You seem nice enough, and I've always wanted a little brother to teach things. And pick on. But for political reasons I think we'll stick to teaching things." He patted Doran's shoulder. "You okay?"

Doran sniffed. "Uh-huh. Sorry about this."

"No worries. You grew up surrounded by women. You're _allowed _to be emotional."

Doran laughed. "You better go tell you're parents you're okay. They're on the breaking point."

"After bath," Zeld said.

"You look fine."

"Lesson one, little brother," Zeld put his arm around Link's shoulder and grinned. "Baths are good for many things, and not all of them are clean."

The sound of Doran's laughter followed them down the hall.

zzz

Late morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the conference room as Zeld pushed open the door. His parents, seated at the end of the room, stared at him for a full ten seconds before jumping to their feet and rushing him.

"Mom, Dad," Zeld raised his hands to fend them off, "there's someone you need to meet." He dragged Link into the room.

She gave a crisp bow. "Your Majesties, it is an honor to meet you."

"Link saved me," Zeld said. "It's a very very long story, but she saved me and that's what counts."

"Link?" The queen repeated.

Link shot a nervous look at Zeld before answering, "Lady Linkalla Vanguardian Lon Lon."

"You're a _lady_?" Zeld exclaimed.

"Did I forget to mention that?" she grinned sheepishly.

"Yes! I can't believe you never told me you-"

The queen clasped Link's hands in her own. "_Thank you_! Thank you so much for saving my son! I know we made the right choice, that you could be so dedicated to your future husband before you ever met him!"

"My what now?" Link asked.

"Her what now?" Zeld asked.

The queen blinked. "You mean...you didn't know?"

"Know what?" they both asked.

"Lady Linkalla...you and the prince have been betrothed for almost two weeks now."

Link and Zeld stared at each other.

"You're... you're kidding."

"No, I'm not. You mean you really didn't know?"

They shook their heads.

"Then...why did you save him?"

"Because...he needed saving?"

The queen looked at her oddly, as her husband choked back a laugh.

"Why's that funny?" Link asked, trying not to sound offended.

"You sound like my grandfather," the king said, smiling. "It's not a bad thing. I'd be proud to have you as a daughter."

"Would you tell that to my mother when she finds out about this? I don't think she'll have quite the same reaction."

He laughed. "Sure."

"Now," the queen released one of Link's hands and took Zeld's, "why don't you tell us everything? From the beginning."

"Everything?" Link and Zeld glanced at each other.

"Yeah, sure." Link grinned. "Everything..."

_And so, in the end, it wasn't that different after all. The hero still saved the day, and the prince still got the girl. The fact that the hero and the prince weren't the same person is really irrelevant. And, of course, the one thing that always holds true, no matter what else is different, held true for this tale as well._

_They all lived happily ever after._

The End

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Epilogue 1: Four Days Later

Kobold had receive the invitation that morning, to the wedding of Prince Zeld Delorean Hyrule and Lady Linkalla Vanguardian Lon Lon. It said to bring a guest, but Kobold had no one to bring. Sure, he had friends, but bringing a friend to a wedding seemed wrong somehow. You brought _dates _to weddings, not friends.

Of course, thinking about weddings and dates made him think about other things, things he'd been trying to avoid but which he'd never been able to forget. It had been five years, he should be able to move on by now. But somehow...he just couldn't stop hoping. All day it had plagued his mind, and now, as the sun sank on the horizon, he kept on hoping.

Even after all this time he knew he would give anything for one touch of that hand, one glimpse of those eyes, anything...anything...

Someone knocked on the door and Kobold shook himself out of his reverie. He was being stupid. That would be Mara come to bully him into taking her to the wedding.

"Coming," he called.

"No hurry," a voice said. "I've waited five years, I can wait a few minutes more."

Kobold froze. It couldn't be... Could it?

Before his mind even had time to process that thought his feet had kicked into automatic and he practically flew to the door.

He flung it open and there, framed in the doorway...

Long silver hair, dark handsome face, those silly dark glasses, gold band on his left ring finger...

"Antores?"

The man Zeld and Link had known as Tor smiled nervously and ran his fingers through his hair. "Hey Kobold. Um... I... I have nothing to say."

"You _bastard_," Kobold growled. "You filthy son of a _bitch_. You think you can just show up after all these years and expect me to...to..."

"No. Of course not." He looked down at his hands. "But I love you. And I've missed you...I didn't mean toleave, or begoneso long. I would have given anything, _anything_, to see you just one more time. I...Oh gods, I've missed you so much!"

"I...I've missed you too...Antores... I love you. I... Dammit, who am I kidding? Get in here before we shock the neighbors."

"_Screw _the neighbors."

"Screw _me._" Kobold grabbed Antores by his shirt and dragged him inside.

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Epilogue 2: Two Weeks Later

There was a knocking on the doorframe. Denko looked up from his mask, to see one of his old coworkers standing there smiling.

"Mark! Hey!" Denko smiled back.

"Hey Sparky," Mark replied. "How's life post-Vaaltos treating you?"

"You kidding? Great! I'm spending time with my family and friends, I'm working on my art. This is great!"

Mark looked at him closely. "You seem sincere..."

Denko blinked. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I have no idea. So..." he leaned forward. "How's life post-coming-out treating you?"

Denko sighed. "Better than I expected. Granted, I expected the worst."

"Poor baby."

"Was there a reason you stopped by?"

"Mm, kinda. My sister and I were talking about all the crazy shit that's happened to us, and she had a thought."

"That's a special occasion?"

"Shut up. She was wondering if maybe...you're still sparky?"

"What?"

"That zappy power that Vaaltos gave you, can you still do it?"

Denko stared at him for a full ten seconds before spinning on his heel and running out into the backyard, Mark following closely. Once out there, and away from anything flammable, he rubbed his hands together briskly and pointed them toward the ground.

An arc of lightning shot from his hands and instantly incinerated the grass where it hit.

Denko and Mark looked at each other. Mark grinned.

"Can I be your best friend?"

Denko grinned too. "Try sidekick."

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_Like I said, **everyone **lived happily ever after._

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Final Notes:

That's the end! This is your present! Hooray!

I hope everyone enjoyed this story (though I notice I didn't get nearly as many reviews for this one as I did the others). Keep your eyes open for my next project, _Romance andAdventure on the High Seas_, a Wind Waker retelling. It should be a lot of fun, and way less angsty than my previous retellings. No, there's no romance, but it's a good title and I'm not changing it. I intend to post the first chapter in early January. If it's not done by this time next year I want one of you to hunt me down and tie me to a chair in front of the computer until I finish. Thanks in advance for whoever winds up doing that.

I'd also like to thank everyone for putting up with these author notes. I don't like it when other writers do them, but I like letting my readers know my thoughts. I am _such _a hypocrite.

Anyway, thanks for reading and putting up with me. Much love and happy non-denominational winter season!


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